Chinese brands drive uptick in UK sales
Chinese brands have driven a nine per cent rise in new car sales this year, according to Auto Trader.
However, its research also highlighted the challenge facing new brand with 30% of customers expecting to pay less for a new entrant to market. Of this group, 74% would expect a price gap of at least £3,000 and 38% expect savings of £5,000 or more.
Alongside cost, safety ratings, longer warranties and good after-sales service were important factors for potential buyers.
Among the new brands making most impact, 22% of UK drivers said they would consider BYD, followed by 15% for Jaecoo and 10% for Omoda.
At the same time, loyalty to traditional brands is falling with 55% of respondents saying they would prefer a more established European brand compared to 70% who said the same thing in 2024.
Top value
Ian Plummer, chief customer officer at Autotrader, said: “New brands are marching into the UK, but drivers are pushing for top value from all the new offerings. This is a market that has watched the likes of Hyundai and Kia build credibility over 20 years on a mix of price and warranty – now Chinese brands are being held to a similar standard. The brands that get the economics right will be the ones that scale.
“Meanwhile BYD is establishing itself in the UK faster than any brand we’ve tracked in a decade. A name that was virtually unknown to British drivers two years ago is now being considered by more than a fifth of the country.
“But this isn’t yet a story about Chinese brands in general taking off. Right now, it’s about two or three brands that have invested seriously in dealer networks, product and visibility that are stealing the march.”
