Britain's week was about Chery's brand count and BYD's UK product refresh, set against a column arguing that MG and BYD are gaining ground in a market that has grown 10% so far this year.
Chery adds a fifth brand
Chery confirmed that iCaur will start UK sales in early 2027 using the iCaur name, making it the group's fifth brand in Britain alongside Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas and Chery. The first model is the five-seat V27, a large, rugged range-extender plug-in hybrid whose styling is likened to the Land Rover Defender. UK prices and final specifications have not been announced. A separate report says an iCaur V25 has been seen on UK roads ahead of its public debut at the Chery International Summit in Wuhu this month, though a UK launch of that model is not confirmed.
BYD's refresh and a new seven-seater
BYD has updated the Dolphin Surf for the UK less than a year after launch: a 12.8-inch touchscreen replaces the 10.1-inch unit, blue upholstery is available and the drive selector moves to the steering column. The seven-seat Atto 8 is due in UK showrooms in early 2027 against the Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Skoda Peaq; pricing is not announced and is expected to sit above the Ti7.
Sales position
A column published on October 18 says MG and BYD are gaining ground: the UK market is up 10% from January to September, with Volkswagen still the best-selling brand ahead of Kia, BMW, Audi and Ford, though growth has not been shared evenly.
What it means
- Two of the week's three product stories are dated early 2027, and none has UK pricing.
- BYD's changes are specification updates to an existing model plus a new large SUV; no price changes were reported.
- The sales evidence this week is one column, not registration data, so the gain it describes is directional.