The popularity of Chinese cars in the UK is exploding at a rate almost unseen before in the industry. Sales of brands from China are now expanding more than 10 times faster than those from the rest of the world, with new entrants like Omoda-Jaecoo potentially on track to outsell industry titans like Ford in the UK. This year saw the best July performance in overall new-car sales since before the pandemic, with 156,571 registrations representing a near-12 per cent increase over the same period in 2025. Yet while manufacturers from Europe, Japan, Korea and America experienced an 11 per cent rise in sales on average, their Chinese competitors enjoyed a stratospheric 180 per cent jump. Broadening the focus to look at 2026 as a whole, Chinese brands have seen a 145 per cent rise in sales, and now account for almost 17 per cent of all cars sold. Much of this can be attributed to a rapid expansion of individual brands’ line-ups; Jaecoo, for example, only entered the UK market in January 2025 and now boasts a line-up of four models. However, much of the brand’s success can be attributed to the huge popularity of the Jaecoo 7, which is the third-best selling car so far this year. The smaller Jaecoo 5 was also in the list of the top-10 best sellers for July. China vs biggest rivalsJuly registrationJuly market shareJuly Year on Year % changeYear to Date regYTD MSYTD YoY % changeJaecoo5,5023.51187.3139,5693.06283.64Omoda3,4032.1781.5922,1641.71151.44Chery3,2122.05N/A21,1911.64N/AFord7,6994.92-15.4565,8985.09-5.19Hyundai5,7913.7-19.7551,1793.95-8.6Nissan5,6303.6-7.9846,5833.6-15.71 BYD6,6034.22107.3844,3983.4396.68Renault5,0523.2351.3541,3003.1912.92Kia9,0865.80.6471,9315.561.26Tesla5120.330.728,1892.1818.9 MG7,2034.627.7855,9444.3215.94Leapmotor1,6051.03547.188,3750.65960.13Dacia1,6871.08-9.6416,9091.31-6.02Citroen1,7941.1556.9618,3241.4274.08Skoda6,9024.411.9253,4104.135.53 Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped Chinese brands from challenging the established competition; combined, Jaecoo and its sister brand, Omoda, outsold the likes of Hyundai, Nissan and even Ford in July. Add Omoda-Jaecoo’s parent brand, Chery, into the mix and the combined trio would in effect be the second-best selling brand in the UK, just behind Volkswagen. Yet the brand that has benefited from the greatest uplift in sales over the past year is Leapmotor. The part-Stellantis-owned budget marque has registered almost 8,400 cars in the UK so far this year – almost a 1,000 per cent increase over the same period in 2025. Once again, it’s easy to point to the arrival of the B10, C10 and B05 which have greatly expanded the brand’s appeal beyond the Dacia Spring-rivalling T03. Yet while Dacia’s total sales so far in 2026 are almost double those of Leapmotor, the pair were neck-and-neck in terms of registrations in July, hinting that thrifty car buyers may be switching sides. If you’re one of the many considering a Chinese car – or any new car for that matter – Auto Express’ Buy a Car service has great deals whether you’re looking to buy or lease. You can even get the best price for your old car by using our Sell My Car service, too. China’s invasion of the British car market could well be somewhat of a runaway train, because manufacturers that have been active here for several years are still seeing strong growth. BYD, for example, has a 50 per cent greater share of the market than the company deemed its biggest rival, Tesla, although BYD's range of hybrid models does open it up to a wider customer base. So far this year, the Shenzhen-based conglomerate has sold almost twice as many cars as in the same period in 2025. Some of this is due to a much stronger market this year, although BYD’s share has nevertheless increased by almost 80 per cent, placing it in line with (and sometimes even ahead of) other mainstream EV and hybrid brands including Renault and Volvo. MG, which has been present in the UK in its current form since the early 2010s, is also seeing stronger growth than its key rival, Skoda, even achieving a greater market share year-to-date. For now, the aforementioned VW and Kia remain the UK’s favourite automotive marques. However, as more and more people choose EVs, the balance of power will continue to shift; research from consultancy firm McKinsey and Company found that two-thirds of those owning cars from premium brands would be open to considering a model from another manufacturer when buying an EV. This drops slightly to a still-significant 57 per cent for owners of cars from mainstream marques. With the UK still not expected to hit ZEV Mandate targets by the end of the year, despite EVs’ projected 2026 market share having risen to 28 per cent, and four in 10 EVs sold qualifying for the Electric Car Grant, industry leaders say the current regulations require reform. The Society of Motor Manufacturer and Traders chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: “Progress cannot be sustained if manufacturers continue haemorrhaging billions in EV discounts, distorting demand to avoid even steeper penalties. The sector’s commitment to decarbonisation is not in doubt, but its ability to remain viable – and attract investment for an EV future – is under intense pressure.”
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