The best-selling new car in Britain in September was built in China. The same week brought a reliability survey that put that car near the bottom, and reports that the government is considering tariffs.
Sales
The UK registered more than 350,000 new cars in September, up more than 12% on a year earlier and the strongest September since 2017, according to preliminary SMMT figures reported by Auto Express. The Jaecoo 7 led with around 10,800 registrations. Nearly 39,500 have been registered in the first nine months, which puts it second among all models for 2026 so far.
Chinese brands together took 23% of new-car sales in the month, and BYD alone almost 6%. The Jaecoo 7 starts at about £30,000 with either a combustion engine or a plug-in hybrid. Chery's UK sales lean on plug-in hybrids; the report says only a small share are fully electric and nearly a quarter are combustion-only.
The two reports give different figures for Jaecoo's September share: 3.4% in one and 4.3% in the other. We have not been able to reconcile them. See Jaecoo.
Reliability
A What Car? and MotorEasy survey ranked the Jaecoo 7 among the ten least reliable cars of 225 models, with a score of 71.9%. Nearly 40,000 owners were interviewed across all models. The survey did not disclose how many owned each one, so it is not possible to tell how many Jaecoo 7 owners that score rests on. The lowest score, 55.3%, went to the latest Volkswagen Tiguan.
Chery, the parent company, moved on the ownership side the same week. Its Approved Used programme starts with 110 cars across 100 UK showrooms, each with at least two years of warranty. Where more of the original seven-year cover remains, it transfers to the next owner. Hybrids come with a certificate guaranteeing at least 90% battery state of health. Jaecoo has run a similar scheme since January. See Chery.
Tariffs
The government is reportedly considering tariffs on cars imported from China as it negotiates access to the EU's proposed Made in Europe scheme. No decision has been confirmed, and the government says it has not imposed tariffs on Chinese EVs. Jaecoo and Omoda UK's managing director said potential tariffs would not change the brands' investment plans, and Chery and Nissan have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore building Chery vehicles at Nissan's Sunderland plant.
Coming next
- XPeng's L03 electric SUV is expected from about £33,000, with orders due to open in November. Auto Express gave it 3.0 out of 5.
- The XPeng X9, a seven-seat electric MPV built in Austria by Magna Steyr, is listed from £74,900, with UK sales due in early 2027. See XPeng.
- MG's IM brand plans a third UK model for 2027, which MG's comments suggest will be a large seven-seat electric SUV. MG expects IM to sell about 6,500 cars here in 2026.
- Chery's Freelander brand has the UK in its third phase of export markets. No arrival year is set.
What it means
- A reliability score from an owner survey with undisclosed sample sizes is a reason to ask questions, not a verdict. Ask the dealer what the warranty covers and for how long.
- A used Chery bought through the approved scheme carries at least two years of warranty, or the rest of the seven-year cover if that is longer. The scheme requires a complete Chery service history.
- Nothing on tariffs has been decided. Prices today do not reflect any new duty.