Latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that 9.7 percent of new cars last year were from Chinese carmakers, almost 200,000 cars, while Chinese brands took 12.7 percent of all UK electric vehicle sales. That's double the 98,000 sold in 2024. This pushed total car sales in the UK above the 2m mark last year for the first time since 2019. Chinese manufacturers didn't steal market share. They helped grow it.
But the actual number of Chinese-made vehicles hitting UK roads was much higher when you factor in thousands of cars manufactured in China by companies like Tesla and BMW for lower costs. This increases the figure to around one in seven of all cars sold last year, equivalent to about 270,000 vehicles, according to the SMMT.
The Winners: BYD's Staggering Rise
BYD emerged as the strongest Chinese performer by volume. The brand recorded an increase of 42,634 registrations year-on-year, making it the largest overall gainer in pure-number terms among Chinese manufacturers. BYD captured an impressive 2.54 percent of the total market last year, registering more than 51,000 new registrations, beating out the likes of Citroen, Dacia, Honda and even Tesla. On a percentage year-on-year basis, BYD jumped by 485 percent.
MG has emerged as the frontrunner, selling over 70,000 vehicles in 2025, maintaining its momentum from previous years. MG's advantage? Most buyers don't realize it's Chinese. SAIC bought the brand from British Leyland's corpse in 2005. The badge still carries British heritage despite being manufactured in China for two decades.
The newcomers posted even more dramatic percentage gains. Jaecoo delivered one of the largest percentage increases in the market, adding 28,023 registrations year-on-year, representing a 13,408 percent increase on 2024's sales figures. Sister brand Omoda was close behind, growing volumes by 16,226 units, up 447 percent. Those percentages are meaningless when you're starting from double digits, but the absolute numbers matter. The Jaecoo 7 single model has sold over 20,000 so far this year, nearly as many as Honda has sold from its entire range.
The Losers: Everyone Else
Honda's market share has dipped by 25 percent so far in 2025. Citroen is down 35 percent, Fiat down 33 percent and Suzuki has dropped over 27 percent. Japanese automakers lost market share across the same period as Chinese manufacturers gained ground. The brands that built reputations on reliability and value are losing to brands offering better value and comparable reliability.
Stuart Masson, editorial director of The Car Expert, said: "Chinese carmakers are no longer the sideshow; they are rapidly becoming the main event. For years, commentators have speculated about the 'arrival' of Chinese brands – well, here it is, in black and white". He continued: "With much more to come from Chinese car manufacturers over the next 12 months, there is a real risk that we could see a number of legacy car brands simply disappearing from the UK car market altogether".
Why This Is Happening
The shift in consumer preferences towards electric and hybrid vehicles has played a crucial role in this transformation. With increasing awareness of environmental issues and a growing demand for sustainable transportation options, Chinese automakers have positioned themselves effectively within this niche. Their ability to offer competitively priced, technologically advanced vehicles resonates well with UK consumers seeking value without compromising on quality.
Price matters more than heritage when you're choosing between a £35,000 Jaecoo 7 hybrid with 56 miles electric range and a £45,000 Toyota RAV4 hybrid with less range and older technology. The Jaecoo 7 comes equipped with Super Hybrid System offering 275NM torque, an electric range of 56 miles and a total range of 745 miles, with prices starting from £35,165. That's compelling value regardless of where it's manufactured.
BYD's advantage extends beyond pricing. The figures come just days after it was confirmed that BYD had overtaken Tesla as the best-selling electric vehicle brand in the world. That's not UK specific. That's global dominance achieved through vertical integration, battery technology leadership, and manufacturing scale Western brands can't match.
The Tariff Twist
The imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles by European lawmakers aimed at protecting local manufacturers has inadvertently benefited hybrid and internal combustion models. Since these tariffs do not apply to all vehicle types, Chinese brands have capitalized on this loophole, further driving their sales in the UK. Europe tried to block Chinese EVs. Chinese manufacturers responded by selling hybrids and petrol cars exempt from tariffs. The protectionism backfired spectacularly.
Is This a Takeover?
Language matters. "Takeover" suggests hostile conquest. What's actually happening is market evolution driven by consumer choice. Nobody forced 200,000 Brits to buy Chinese cars. They chose them because they offered better value, better technology, and comparable quality to established brands at lower prices.
SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said the recovery was "not yet complete," and warned that growth had been heavily concentrated in specific market segments. He noted that EV demand was supported by extensive manufacturer incentives, describing the current pace of sales growth as "fragile". The SMMT said manufacturers offered discounts worth an estimated £5.5 billion. Chinese brands aren't winning purely on merit. They're winning with massive discounting funded by state subsidies and scale advantages Western manufacturers can't match.
But consumers don't care why cars are cheaper. They care that they are cheaper. A £35,000 Jaecoo versus a £45,000 Toyota isn't a fair fight. The Toyota might last longer, have better resale value, and superior dealer networks. But that £10,000 difference buys a lot of fuel and covers potential repairs.
What Comes Next
Geely, owner of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, has just released the first of many new models to come to the UK under the Geely brand. The EX5 will be followed in 2026 by two plug-in hybrids and the compact EX2 EV, which was the second bestselling electric car worldwide in August 2025. Its premium brand, Zeekr, is also coming to the UK in 2027 with the Zeekr 7X, a rival to the Tesla Model Y.
Many brands have already pledged to massively expand their UK presence, including a fresh lineup of vehicles in 2026, as well as a burgeoning network of dealerships. Some manufacturers have also hinted at bringing sister brands to the UK over the next 12 months, offering drivers an even wider choice of vehicles. This isn't peak Chinese presence. This is the beginning.
The 200,000 sold in 2025 will look quaint when retrospectives examine 2027 or 2028. More brands are arriving. Existing brands are expanding dealer networks. Product lineups are filling out. The infrastructure for sustained growth is being built while established manufacturers cut costs and consolidate.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Chinese manufacturers didn't conquer the UK market through unfair advantages alone. They built products Western buyers actually want at prices Western buyers will pay. MG's 70,000 sales didn't happen because consumers were tricked. They happened because MG offered compelling EVs and hybrids at competitive prices with reasonable quality.
Yes, state subsidies help. Yes, lower labor costs matter. Yes, looser environmental regulations in manufacturing provide advantages. But Western manufacturers enjoyed all those advantages for decades when they outsourced production to Asia. Chinese brands simply kept the production in China and shipped finished products instead of components.
The "blow to Britain's automotive industry" language assumes British brands deserve protection from competition. But Britain's automotive industry is largely foreign owned already. Nissan, Honda, Toyota, BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover (owned by India's Tata) build cars in Britain. None are British companies. The real blow is to European and Japanese brands watching market share evaporate to Chinese competitors offering better value.
Is this a full-scale takeover? Not yet. Ten percent market share doesn't constitute conquest. But the trajectory is unmistakable. Chinese brands doubled share in one year. Another doubling puts them at 20 percent. That's when "takeover" language becomes justified. That's when established brands start disappearing from UK roads entirely, replaced by Chinese alternatives most buyers can't distinguish from the legacy brands they replaced.
The takeover isn't complete. But it's well underway. And based on 2025's numbers, nothing's slowing it down.