Top 6 new Chinese car brands: Ignore them at your peril!
Do you know your Jaecoo from your Xpeng?
If you’re shaking your head, fear not, because you won’t be the only motorist confused by the growing number of new Chinese manufacturers entering the UK car market.
The established heavyweights from Germany, Japan and Korea (we’re looking at you, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and Kia) are facing increased competition from China in what’s increasingly becoming a seismic shift for the industry.
This new wave of Chinese vehicles - the majority being fully-electric - are making their way to British shores bristling with tech and often under-cutting major rivals by several thousands of pounds.
But which of the new breed of brands should you be looking at, and what do their cars actually offer?
Here experts from Select Car Leasing - the UK's most trusted and largest car leasing firm - reveal all.
LEAPMOTOR
When a new EV brand gets the backing of global manufacturing heavyweights Stellantis, it’s worth sitting up and taking notice.
Leapmotor arrived in the UK earlier this year and now sits under the same Stellantis umbrella as the likes of Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat.
And the Leapmotor ethos is a clear one - to put electric vehicles ‘within everyone’s reach’ while making sure you don’t have to skimp on creature comforts.
The first two cars to launch are the pint-sized T03 and the more premium C10.
The C10’s first customer in the UK was none other than former footballer Michael Owen (see pic) and the ex-Liverpool and Manchester United striker now gets to enjoy an electric SUV that comes as standard with equipment like a panoramic glass sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, and a large 14.6-inch touchscreen.
The T03, meanwhile, is designed for the cut and thrust of city life. There’s a relatively modest range of just 165 miles between charges, but it’s still a key rival to the bargain-basement Dacia Spring.
JAECOO/OMODA
You’ll be wondering why we’ve lumped two distinct brands together here, so let us explain.
Both Jaecoo and Omoda are subsidiaries of Chery Automotive - one of China’s largest car manufacturers.
While Jaecoo and Omoda are industry siblings, they each offer something unique - and their cars can be leased with Select for less than £300 a month*.
The Jaecoo line-up currently consists of one car - the highly-distinctive Jaecoo 7 SUV. The styling has been likened by many reviewers (including in this write-up by Select’s writer Steve Fowler) to the Range Rover Velar or Evoque, while it’s also available with either a traditional 1.6-litre petrol engine or an efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Omoda, meanwhile, brings you the ‘5’ or the ‘E5’.
As you might be able to gather, the E5 is a fully-electric SUV (ever so slightly more compact than the Jaecoo 7) which unlocks a range of around 257 miles between charges.
The regular Omoda 5, meanwhile, has a traditional 1.6-litre engine under the bonnet and a considerable amount of kit fitted as standard, including a heated steering wheel, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Sony sound system, and adaptive cruise control.
As a cut-price answer to the Kia Sportage or Nissan Qashqai, the Omoda and Jaecoo models ask some serious questions.
XPENG
Xpeng is a forward-thinking tech pioneer that’s headquartered in Guangzhou, China, but which actually has R&D centres in America’s Silicon Valley and San Diego, and an innovation hub in Munich, Germany.
That infrastructure ensures Xpeng has the means to make a lasting assault on the UK new car market.
And the first vehicle available, the electric Xpeng G6, has one nemesis well and truly in its crosshairs: The Tesla Model Y.
The G6, when equipped with the largest 87.5 kWh battery, can travel up to 354 miles between trips to the plug while an 800-volt EV architecture and 280 kW DC recharging skills can replenish the energy from 10-80% in less than 20 minutes.
The G6 has been thoroughly impressing critics, too, with Select’s Steve Fowler writing: “It’s like Xpeng took a good, long look at the Model Y and decided to outdo it in a few key areas. The result? A stylish, well-built all-electric SUV that’s more comfortable to drive than the Tesla, packed with tech, and feels just a bit more thoughtful, too. And crucially, it’s cheaper.”
NIO
Futuristic tech firm NIO is yet to launch in the UK - but it’s due to arrive in 2025 and it’s a manufacturer that’s well worth keeping tabs on.
Shanghai headquartered NIO is masterminded by billionaire entrepreneur William Li and typically specialises in high-end EVs (it already flogs cars in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden).
So far, so straightforward.
But what’s really unusual about NIO is that it’s pioneering so-called ‘Power Swap’ stations - where you can exchange a flat battery for a fully-charged one in less than five minutes. No need to plug-in and wait for a full recharge.
NIO currently has around 59 Power Swap stations in Europe with hopes for a similar network (eventually) here in the UK.
The first NIO car we’re likely to see here in the UK won’t actually be a NIO at all - rather it’ll be an ‘Onvo’ - a more affordable NIO subsidiary brand (a bit like how VW sits under Audi in the overall VW Group).
That debut car will be the Onvo L60, another electric Tesla Model Y rival which should boast a range between charges well in excess of 400 miles while also being cheaper than Elon Musk’s alternative. Crucially, the Onvo L60 will also support Power Swap tech.
BYD
While BYD first arrived in the UK back in 2023 with the electric Atto 3 SUV, it’s fair to say that last year saw the Shenzhen-based firm make serious inroads into the British market.
BYD accounted for 8,788 new car registrations in 2024 - beating Polestar in terms of sales and ending the year only narrowly behind Jeep.
On a global scale, BYD sold 1.76 million EVs in 2024 - just pipped by Tesla’s figure of 1.79 million. So, you can see that BYD - aka ‘Build Your Dreams’ - means business.
With a growing number of vehicles in the line-up, BYD looks ever more appealing.
The sleek BYD Seal saloon is a bona fide Tesla Model 3 rival with a range in excess of 350 miles between charges and which is also seriously rapid (0-62 mph in just 3.8 seconds) in all-wheel drive form.
The affordable BYD Dolphin is your compact urban crossover, a car that’s equipped with an efficiency-boosting heat pump as standard and which can cover up to 265 miles between charges.
Meanwhile the Seal-U is an efficient plug-in hybrid SUV (with a plush cabin that belies the car’s relatively affordable price tag) and which can journey for up to 78 miles using electricity alone.
Another one of BYD’s biggest selling points is its ‘Blade’ battery, developed in-house and which is said to be stronger, longer lasting, and cheaper to manufacture than other units.
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 28/03/25.
