Best Chinese cars 2026

Chinese cars have come a long way in the past decade or so, going from automotive obscurity to serious rivals for the best contenders from Europe and Japan. The speed of progress from the country’s car brands has been head-spinning, with the very best Chinese cars seeking to conquer new markets with a range of models that often undercut established models on price while beating them on tech.

Why are Chinese cars so appealing?

Chinese cars of today are a far cry from those of the early Noughties. Manufacturers from China were often the butt of motor show jokes as they filled their stands with half-baked rip-offs of well-known European machines. When the Chinese brands did design and build their own models without ‘inspiration’ from established brands, they were bargain basement offerings that were dynamically way off the pace. Today, that’s all changed.

There are now a number of ambitious Chinese car brands for UK car buyers to choose from, each offering a wide range of cars from affordable superminis to premium SUVs, and everything in between. The top Chinese cars of today are able to match their European and Japanese counterparts in terms of design, driving dynamics and desirable on-board tech, which is especially true of many Chinese electric cars which tend to serve-up impressive performance, range and charging capabilities.  

Yet one aspect of the Chinese car hasn’t changed: the price. In almost every case, the models in our list of the best Chinese cars undercut their better known European rivals by thousands, despite often offering more kit and a longer warranty, leaving more cash in your wallet when it comes to buying.

Compare the best Chinese cars

Below, we’ve got a rundown of the best Chinese cars you can currently buy in the UK, sifting out the top 10 candidates from various different sectors. We’ve cast our net not just over China's domestic brands, but also cars that are built in the country by foreign manufacturers. 

Keep scrolling to learn more about the best Chinese cars on the UK market. Alternatively, you can click the links in the table above to jump directly to a specific make and model..

1. MG3

If you’re after a small car that’s well-equipped and value-focused, the MG3 could be perfect.

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• Prices from £17,245
• Auto Express Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year 2024 and 2025

MG pulled out all the stops for its second generation MG3 supermini, and all of this hard work clearly paid off when it went straight to the top of the small car sector when it arrived in 2024, taking home our Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year trophy in the process. 

Starting from £17,250, the MG3 comes as standard with a 1.5-litre 113bhp pure-petrol engine and manual gearbox, but we’d opt for the 1.5-litre 193bhp MG3 Hybrid as our car of choice.

Compared to the pure-petrol MG3, the MG3 Hybrid is more refined at slower speeds thanks to short bursts of all-electric running and it leaves rivals standing when it comes to straightline pace, too. Yet it also claims a frugal 64.2mpg at the pumps – a figure our testers closely matched in real world use. 

While its predecessor was cheap, and felt it, the latest version combines the old car’s great value with class-leading driving dynamics.

On the road, the British-branded hatchback is surprisingly comfortable, it boasts a supple ride that soaks up bumps and potholes. This is helped in part by its small 16-inch wheels. The car is pretty hushed at low speeds, although we did notice tyre and road noise creeping in once you get close to the national speed limit. 

Its interior isn’t quite a match for the Renault Clio when it comes to passenger or boot space which is almost 100 litres less at 293-litres. Material quality isn’t quite as plush either, but it’s not too far behind and is packed with standard kit. 

The 10.25-inch infotainment screen is bright and responsive, allowing quick and easy connectivity to smartphones, plus the shortcut buttons means the MG3 is less touchscreen heavy when it comes to adjusting some car functions.

“The boot might not be the largest of all the superminis on the market, but I’ve found it’s easily big enough to swallow the carry-on bag and backpack I take with me on work trips. There’s room left over for a large duffle bag, too.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest MG3 deals

2. BYD Dolphin Surf

The BYD Dolphin Surf might be one of the cheapest electric cars on the market but it’s fun, efficient and far from Spartan.

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• Prices from £18,675

It’s been a busy few years since BYD landed on UK shores, with the Chinese brand now fielding a car in almost every sector. If it’s a small electric city car you’re after though, the BYD Dolphin Surf is one to consider with its starting price of under £19,000. 

While the Dolphin Surf might be the most compact car BYD offers, it provides the space of a larger supermini, feels well-screwed together and has a list of standard kit as long as both your arms. 

While it’s not the most exciting car to drive with fairly uninvolving handling, its suspension is more than adequate to deal with the UK’s rough roads, and the light controls make it very easy to live with. 

Entry-level Active and mid-range Boost models feature a peppy 87bhp electric motor which is more than plenty around town, while the Comfort model packs a punchy 154bhp and is the one we’d choose if you plan on doing more high-speed driving. 

All versions, barring the entry-level Active, get a larger 43.2kWh battery that raises the range to 200 miles, up from 137 miles in Active models, courtesy of its smaller 30kWh cells. 

Whichever version you choose, we think you should get close to the official range as we achieved 5.6 miles/kWh in warm temperatures on our initial test, dropping to 3.9 miles/kWh during cooler temperatures experienced during our EV range test.

Inside the cabin, you get the same classy design with plenty of storage bins no matter the trim level you choose. The Dolphin Surf is strictly a four-seater but you can easily carry four tall adults in relative comfort. 

It also gets a host of handy tech, including an intuitive 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment screen that can rotate from landscape to portrait layout at the touch of a button. 

“Short bursts of acceleration in the mid-range Boost version are OK, like from 20-30mph; however, things tail off extremely quickly after that. That’s fine in a city, but on the open road you’ll wish you upgraded to the more powerful Comfort model.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest BYD Dolphin Surf deals

3. MG ZS

Chinese cars are known for being great value for money, and the MG ZS is no exception.

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• Prices from £20,245

As with the brand’s MG3 supermini, the latest MG ZS retains the great value-for-money proposition of its predecessor but adds a dollop of desirability. 

For starters, the Chinese-built compact SUV looks smart enough on the outside while the interior mixes neat design with plenty of standard kit. It’s also very roomy, with class-leading leg and headroom for rear seat passengers and a decent 443-litre boot which is on-par with rivals like the Dacia Duster and Ford Puma. 

And while the quality isn’t quite a match for the best, the MG does feel solid enough and the tech looks good and is easy to use. 

Under the bonnet is the same 113bhp pure-petrol or 193bhp hybrid powertrain you’ll find in the MG3, which means brisk performance in the hybrid (0-62mph takes 8.7 seconds) and a promised 55.4mpg at the pumps. 

During our time with the hybrid ZS, we managed to achieve 48.7mpg, so a more sedate approach could easily see you hit the claimed efficiency figure. The pure-petrol version is a little more thirsty, but you should see over 43mpg according to the MG.

The system can be a little flustered when you want to accelerate in a hurry, but overall it’s smooth and unobtrusive. 

The ZS lacks the dynamic sparkle of its smaller brother, but it handles accurately and benefits from a controlled ride. A little more motorway refinement would be welcome, it's a shortcoming many customers will overlook when they consider that the MG’s prices undercut rivals such as the Renault Captur and Ford Puma by thousands.

“MG was once known for its sports cars, and the ZS hybrid is also reasonably spritely when you put your foot down. The hybrid electric motors help for a quick getaway from traffic lights, and while the petrol engine can be reluctant to kick in, you get a decent bit of extra shove when it does.” - Shane Wilkinson, senior content editor

Latest MG ZS deals

4. MG4

MG has been going from strength to strength since its UK return and the new MG4 is further proof the brand won’t be going anywhere soon.

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• Prices from £29,995

Until a few years ago, MG was seen as a bargain basement brand that was struggling to be taken seriously by potential customers. Things changed when the MG4 hit showrooms in 2022 with its eye-catching style and sharp driving dynamics.

MG has given this family car a refresh, including subtle styling tweaks, a higher-quality cabin, a larger 64kWh battery as standard, which can return up to 280 miles of range, and a generous amount of kit. It’s a seriously impressive EV.

There are three variations of the MG4, all which offer smooth and instant acceleration, plus feature agile and engaging handling that makes them genuinely satisfying to drive on twisting back roads. 

If you want the longest range MG4, you’ll need to opt for the Premium Extended Range which comes with a larger 77kWh battery for up to 329 miles on a single charge. When it comes to topping the battery up, a 10-80 per cent charge will take around 40 minutes.

Buyers wanting a bigger adrenaline rush should look no further than the flagship MG4 X-Power, which packs a 429bhp twin motor set-up for a supercar-slaying 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds. 

Whichever versions you choose, you’ll benefit from a spacious interior. Taller drivers and passengers shouldn’t feel cramped, although those in the back might be wanting more space for their feet. The boot is nice and roomy at 388 litres and on-par with more expensive rivals like the Volkswagen ID.3. Speaking of price, you’ll need to pay a little more to get this facelifted car. It now starts from around £30,000, which is still great value for money.

“Interior packaging is good in the MG4, and passengers benefit from a decent amount of rear legroom and headroom, although there isn’t too much space underneath the front seats for passengers to stretch their feet into.”  - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest MG4 deals

5. Polestar 4

Polestar might be a Swedish brand, but this quirky car is one of the best to hail from China.

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• Prices from £55,750

If you’re the sort of person that doesn’t like to look back, then the Polestar 4 could be the car for you. 

When it first appeared in 2024, the Chinese-built coupe-SUV caused an immediate stir because of its bold lack of a back window - a rear facing camera does the job of a traditional rear-view mirror and works quite well in our experience. 

However, look past this design quirk and you’ll discover a smart, comfortable and well-equipped rival to the Audi Q6 e-tron. Despite being built on the SEA platform which also underpins the Lotus Emeya (another Geely product), the Polestar prioritises comfort over sharp handling - although the 4 steers accurately and has strong grip. 

There’s a choice of 268bhp single motor and 536bhp dual motor layouts, the latter zapping from 0 to 62mph in an eye-widening 3.7 seconds. Both versions get a hefty 94kWh battery, which translates into a claimed range of up to 385 miles, or 367 in Dual Motor cars. When we ran a Polestar 4 Dual Motor version as part of our long-term test fleet, we saw an efficiency figure of 3.5 miles per kWh, which translates into a range of 310 miles from a full charge.

Inside, the Polestar is spacious and has a typically classy, minimalist Scandinavian vibe. The vast 15.4-inch infotainment screen uses Google tech, so is quick and intuitive to use, although the lack of physical buttons makes accessing frequently used functions a fiddle.

“At lower speeds, the Polestar 4’s lack of rear window doesn’t cause any headaches because the suite of parking sensors and cameras surrounding the car mean it’s easy to manoeuvre.” - Shane Wilkinson, senior content editor

Latest Polestar 4 deals

6. BYD Atto 3 Evo

BYD is one of the biggest manufacturers of electric vehicles in the world, so you’re in safe hands with the Atto 3 Evo.

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• Prices from £38,990

Another BYD and another strange name, but don’t let you put that off the spacious, well-equipped and great value BYD Atto 3 Evo. 

The ‘Evo’ in the car's name might lead you to expect this to be a performance-oriented rally machine. In fact, it’s a family SUV aimed squarely at rivals such as the Skoda Elroq and Renault Scenic thanks to its near £39,000 price tag. 

The all-electric Chinese machine is a spacious, comfortable and well-equipped compact crossover. There’s the option of two motor variants. While the most powerful dual-motor Atto 3 Evo boasts a whopping 443bhp, it’s the 303bhp unit which would be our choice. 

Not only is acceleration more than adequate with a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds, the 60.4kWh battery serves up a claimed range of 316 miles, although we saw around 270 miles in the real world on our tests.

Low noise levels and a soft suspension set-up make the Atto 3 Evo a relaxing choice, although it can feel quite jiggly and unsettled on Britain’s roads. If you’re after a more entertaining drive, you’ll want to consider rivals like the Cupra Born. 

The BYD’s rather anonymous exterior styling might put off fashion-conscious buyers, but their mind is likely to be changed by the flamboyant cabin. With bold shapes, funky detailing and an almost premium finish, the roomy interior has real showroom appeal and is a great family car option thanks to its large 490 litre boot and 95 litre frunk under the bonnet. 

As standard you get a 360-degree camera system, ambient lighting, electric heated leather front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The infotainment system is crisp, quick and easy to use thanks to some handy customisable widgets. The only downside with the larger 15.6-inch screen in the refreshed car is the fact it no longer has the ability to rotate from portrait to landscape mode - which always felt like a bit of a gimmick anyway. 

“We like the fact that all the infotainment widgets and shortcut icons are customisable. You can also adjust the cabin temperature by placing three fingers anywhere on the screen and dragging them up or down; going left or right, meanwhile, changes the fan speed to save you digging through menus” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest BYD Atto 3 Evo deals

7. Chery Tiggo 8

If you’re after an affordable seven-seater, the Chery Tiggo 8 could be the ideal family car.

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• Prices from £28,545

If you’re looking for a large, inexpensive seven-seat family car that blends style, practicality, and a generous kit list for well under £30,000, there are very few SUVs which do it quite as well as the Chery Tiggo 8. 

There’s no doubting the ambition of the Chery Tiggo 8 as it’s aimed squarely at more expensive rivals like the Peugeot 5008, Kia Sorento and Skoda Kodiaq. Unlike the Tiggo 8, none of these cars, barring the 5008, are available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

While you can get the seven-seat 5008 with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, it costs around £10,000 more than the Chery and its official 48-mile all-electric range can’t match the Tiggo 8’s 56 miles, either. 

There’s an option of a pure-petrol Tiggo 8, but we’d avoid this model as it isn’t much cheaper than the PHEV, plus the non-hybrid unit is quite thirsty with Chery quoting an efficiency figure of 36.2mpg, compared to the plug-in hybrid’s 211mpg. While you won’t achieve 211mpg in the real world, keep the battery charged and you’ll benefit from lower running costs and strong fuel efficiency. 

For its low price point, we think it looks and feels suitably upmarket, matching the kerb appeal of more expensive rivals. It drives nicely, is relatively quiet on the move and overall visibility is good thanks to a high driving position, although the view out the back is impeded by the rear seat headrests. 

On the tech side, you’re far from being short-changed as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charging pad and 540-degree panoramic camera system all come as standard. The cameras and sensors also help mitigate the impeded view out the back. 

When it comes to infotainment, the screen resolution is crisp and the software is mostly quick to respond. Our only real gripe is the fact the text is a little on the small side which might make it difficult to read for some people.

The Tiggo 8 is roomy enough too, although the 495-litre boot with the rearmost seats in the down position trails the best seven-seaters for space, the Skoda Kodiaq by some 351 litres. But then it’s worth remembering that the top-spec Chery Tiggo 8’s prices end where the entry-level Kodiaq’s begins.

“We found the interior build quality fairly impressive. The synthetic leather (which is used all over) is soft, the few buttons are nicely damped and there’s a sturdiness to the switchgear too.” - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter

Latest Chery Tiggo 8 deals

8. Geely EX5

The EX5 is the first car to wear the Geely badge in the UK, and it’s a commendable effort.

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• Prices from £31,990

Breaking into a new market is tough at the best of times, and the all-electric Geely EX5 does a respectable job in the face of some fierce competition.

To keep things simple, the EX5 is available in three different trim levels, comes with one 60.2 kWh battery with a range of up to 267 miles - although there is a bigger battery version on the way - and costs from under £30,000. On the road, it’s calm and composed, which will suit most buyers down to the ground.

As you’d probably expect with the EX5 being Chinese, the kit list as standard is pretty generous. We didn’t like the fact that the car's functions are controlled almost exclusively through the touchscreen, even the panoramic sunroof on top-spec cars. 

While this can be quite annoying when you need to delve through several menus to access simple controls, at least the touchscreen responses are razor sharp, just like the resolutions. There is a programmable rotary dial located in the centre console, but we wish there were more physical buttons and controls.

When it comes to practicality, we were suitably impressed. The 410-litres of boot space might not seem like much on the surface, but the boot is nice and square in shape, plus at almost 1.1 metres in width, it's more useful than rivals.

If that wasn’t enough, the rear seats, and even the front seats, can be folded completely flat so there is plenty of space for carrying long items. Being a family SUV, there’re lots of useful storage bins dotted around, with a large 14-litre bin located under the front passenger seat.

“At motorway speeds wind and road noise are kept at bay and with accurate range prediction, we’d have no issue running the EX5’s battery down on a long journey.” - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter

Latest Geely EX5 deals

9. XPeng G6

Quick charging speeds make living with an electric car much easier, and the XPeng G6 has some of the fastest.

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• Prices from £39,990

Lots of Chinese cars are groundbreakers in their own way, and while the XPeng G6 might not change direction like a scolded bluebottle, or rewrite the style rulebook, its class-leading charging speeds are a party piece.

Speaking of range and charging, XPeng G6 boasts charging speeds of up to 451kW which means the largest 80.8kWh battery can be topped up from 10-80 per cent in as little as 12 minutes using a suitably fast charger. 

These speeds are welcome considering the maximum range of 326 miles for the G6 Long Range, or 316 miles for the G6 AWD Performance are on the short side compared to rivals. These figures are also a little on the optimistic side, as during our test of the G6 AWD Performance we saw a maximum of 225 miles from an average efficiency of 2.8mi/kWh.

Being a mid-size SUV, the G6 has plenty of nifty storage features which will appeal to families. The boot is generous at 571 litres, eclipsing rivals like the Ford Capri which is smaller by over 100 litres. The boxy silhouette means there’s also plenty of headroom for even the tallest passengers.

The interior is minimalist and not particularly exciting, but it is clean-looking and inoffensive. The materials feel suitably plush with a lot of squidgy leatherette surfaces and plastics that don’t feel flimsy or cheap. 

On-board tech is also nicely integrated, although we did feel that sometimes you’re given too much information which makes the screen look cluttered. It’s also a little touchscreen-heavy when it comes to the control interface for key functions.

“The layout isn’t as minimalist as a Model Y’s, but having to delve into sub-menus to adjust the door mirrors or turn on the heated rear screen seems unnecessarily complicated”. - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter

Latest XPeng G6 deals

10. Jaecoo 7 

Since arriving in the UK, the Jaecoo 7 has become a sales success, and it’s clear to see why.

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• Prices from £24,555

SUVs are clearly the flavour of the moment, but the Jaecoo 7 has the style and substance to stand out in the crowded market and has become a near-instant hit with the UK car buying public. 

There’s a reason why the 7 is taking the UK car market by storm. It squares up to premium rivals like the BMW X1 and MINI Countryman but without the accompanying price tag. For around £30,000 you can have a spacious SUV with a long warranty, a generous amount of kit, and even Range Rover-esque styling.

The Jaecoo 7 is available with a petrol or hybrid engine, but it’s the latter which would be our powertrain of choice. The pure-petrol is quite thirsty and can quickly undo some of the benefits of its low price tag. The plug-in hybrid benefits from up to 56 miles of all-electric running, helping reduce fuel costs, and making the driving experience much more enjoyable.

It’s easy to get comfy behind the wheel thanks to a wide array of adjustment in the seat height and position, plus navigating tight streets should be straightforward thanks to good visibility and light controls. 

Part of the Jaecoo 7’s appeal is how practical it can be as a family car. The boot is pretty large at 500 litres in the plug-in hybrid, or 580 litres in the petrol; plus the wide-opening rear doors and easy-access ISOFIX points make fitting and removing a child seat easy. There’s even a large central storage bin which is cooled, helping keep drinks and snacks cool on hot days.

While the 7 might be built to a price, don’t think it’s stripped back and utilitarian, far from it. Every model gets 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, satellite navigation, synthetic leather upholstery and heated seats. Our only complaint is the lack of physical buttons and switches, although this is a pretty common design feature with many Chinese cars.

“The steering is very light, which makes parking fairly easy, with low-speed manoeuvres aided by the surround-view camera. This includes a system that can provide images of the road beneath the wheels, so you know how close they are to kerbs and other obstacles.” - Alex Ingram, contributor.

Latest Jaecoo 7 deals

How to choose the best Chinese car

From showroom novelty to mainstream success, Chinese cars have come a long way in the last 10 years. Buyers that took a look at the first MG models to hit the UK back in 2011 will be utterly amazed at the gargantuan improvements in quality, tech and driving dynamics. 

Yet while the latest models are far superior to drive and live with, many have retained the attractive pricing that made those early cars so attractive to value-minded customers.

Narrow down your shortlist

There’s greater choice than ever, with the number of new brands hitting the streets getting bigger by the day - Leapmotor, Omoda, Skywell and Haval are some of the most recent arrivals. 

Some are more accomplished than others to say the least, so to help you narrow down your choices we’ve ranked the best and worst Chinese brands currently in the UK.

Bear in mind, however, that many of these are just brand names for larger Chinese conglomerates. For instance, GWM, ORA and Haval are all part of the Great Wall Motor family, while Geely owns Polestar, Lotus, Smart and Lynk & Co to name a few. 

Electric or hybrid power?

In general, the Chinese firms do tend to specialise in EVs, which overall are mostly a match for European rivals when it comes to quality and range, and usually ahead of tech. 

However, there are a handful of internal combustion and hybrid models (for example, the BYD Seal U and Jaecoo 7), which feature engines that tend to trail the class leaders for refinement, power and efficiency - demonstrating that the Chinese brands still have some things left to learn.

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