Nearly half of UK drivers would consider a Chinese car as their next purchase, survey finds

A new survey by UK automotive media and the car-buying platform Carwow has found that 49% of British drivers are open to choosing a Chinese brand for their next car. That is more than double the 24% recorded in the first half of 2023, with earlier survey waves coming in at 35% and 39% — a sign that interest in Chinese cars has kept building over roughly three years.

Behavior on Carwow's platform tells the same story. Enquiries about Chinese brands in the first seven months of 2026 jumped 119% compared with the same stretch of 2025, and Chinese models accounted for 30% of shoppers showing purchase intent in the first half of this year, up sharply from 14% a year earlier.

Value for money is the biggest draw: 42% of respondents named it their main reason for considering a Chinese car, up from 36%, while another 24% expect Chinese brands to run generous discount campaigns. Together, these factors appeal to buyers who want plenty of equipment and technology without paying a premium.

Brand awareness is rising as more Chinese makers establish themselves in the UK. Recognition of Jaecoo jumped from 46% to 69% within a year, Chery from 16% to 50%, Omoda from 42% to 57% and Xpeng from 8% to 20%, while BYD — which entered the UK passenger-car market with the Atto 3 in March 2023 — is now known by 71% of respondents versus 28% in 2023. The share of people unable to name any Chinese brand fell from 23% to 16%. MG, owned by SAIC, already has an established customer base: its MG4 was the UK's second most-registered fully electric car in 2023 with 21,461 units.