By ROB HULL, MOTORING EDITOR
Last year will go down in automotive history as the year China began to stamp its authority on the UK market.
Registration figures show almost one in ten new models sold in Britain last year were produced by Chinese brands - that's almost 200,000 Chinese vehicles hitting our roads. This is up from 98,000 registrations in 2024.
And it's clear from data shared with the Daily Mail and This is Money that Chinese marques are targeting one segment in particular.
In 2025, around one in eight new electric vehicles (EVs) entering the road had a Chinese company's badge on its bonnet, up from one in 12 the year previous, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
With over a dozen different Chinese brands now on sale in the UK and more to come in 2026, we take a look at how they're already disrupting the market - and consider whether a full-scale takeover is looming that would see our streets dominated by vehicles built in East Asia.
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The UK new car market surpassed 2million registrations in 2025, official figures from the SMMT show - the first time that number has been reached in a calendar year since the pandemic's compounding impact on vehicle sales.
And part of the growth seen in the last 12 months has been driven by an influx of new Chinese produced and branded cars.
Of the 2,020,520 new model sales recorded last year, 9.7 per cent of these were cars from Chinese brands. This represents around 196,000 passenger vehicles.
That's more than double the number of Chinese cars that entered our roads in 2024, which accounted for some 96,700 vehicles in total.
Looking exclusively at EV sales, Chinese brands increased their market share from 8.5 per cent to 12.7 per cent over the last 12 months.
But it's not just Chinese branded motors that are experiencing a substantial increase in popularity among Britons.
Many 'legacy' car firms - evergreen, recognisable auto companies from Europe and the US in particular - are taking advantage of East Asia's blossoming vehicle manufacturing sector and lower production costs.
Popular models from marques including BMW, Mini, Volvo, Citroen, Dacia and even Tesla are now being built in China.
As such, the nation has an even greater stronghold on the UK new car market than it might first appear.
The SMMT says that almost one in seven (13.5 per cent) of passenger vehicle sales in Britain last year were models made in China, which is more than 270,000 of the 2million cars that entered the road last year.
A year earlier, just 9.3 per cent of all registrations were Chinese made cars, which accounted for some 180,000 motors in total.
Delving solely into EV sales figures once more, almost three in ten (27.9 per cent) of the 473,348 electric cars sold in the UK in 2025 were produced in China - that's around 132,000 battery models that entered the road last year.
Looking exclusively at EV sales, Chinese brands increased their market share from 8.5% (approx 32,500 EVs) in 2024 to 12.7% (approx 61,000 EVs) last year in a clear sign that East Asian manufacturers are targeting the battery car market
While BYD has been hitting headlines yet again in recent days for surpassing global Tesla sales, it isn't Britain's favourite Chinese car brand...yet.
Instead, it is MG - whose parent group is the Chinese state-owned SAIC - that retains its crown as the UK's most popular Chinese choice.
It sold 85,155 cars in the UK last year - 4.4 per cent more than in 2024 - and is the 10th favourite brand by sales volumes, accounting to 4.2 per cent of the new model market.
The MG HS was the best-selling standalone Chinese car, amassing 30,191 registrations in 2025, making it the eighth most popular new model sold last year.
BYD, which only launched in Britain in 2023, sold some 8,800 vehicles - mostly EVs - in the UK in 2024. But by 2025 it upped that tally to 51,422 passenger cars and 2.5 per cent of the market as it drove ahead with its expansion into Europe.
Chinese rivals including Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery - all owned by the same parent group - also stamped their mark on the UK despite only debuting towards the end of 2024.
Jaecoo, with 28,232 registrations, outsold legacy brands including Honda, Seat and Citroen last year, while Omoda's 19,855 sales were more than Porsche, Suzuki and Lexus.
In addition, European brands that are Chinese-owned and build many cars in China also had improved sales performances.
Volvo - owned by Geely - posted a 3.6 increase in UK sales to climb to 14th overall in the car maker standings, while its sister brand Polestar almost doubled its registrations in 2025.
MG - belonging to Chinese state-owned SAIC - is currently Britain's most popular Chinese brand. It sold 85,155 cars in the UK last term - 4.4% more than in 2024
MG is now the 10th favourite brand by sales volumes in Britain. Its cars accounted for 4.2% of all new models entering the road in 2025. Pictured: Electric MG cars lined up at Bristol Port
BYD, which only launched in Britain in 2023, sold some 8,800 vehicles, mostly EVs, in the UK in 2024. But by 2025 it upped that tally to 51,422 passenger cars and 2.5% of the market. Pictured: Electric and plug-in hybrid BYD vehicles at a compound in Sheerness, Kent
The emergence of new Chinese brands, particularly in the last 24 months, has had a profound impact on some legacy car firms, with a number of major marques posting nose-diving sales in the last 12 months.
And it isn't just manufacturers at the more affordable end of the market that are having their market share eaten away by East Asian newcomers.
Luxury German makes Audi and Mercedes-Benz have been hit hard.
Audi, which was the fifth most popular motor brand in Britain last year, registered 111,100 units in the UK in 2025. However, this is 11,000 fewer sales than it achieved the year before as it posted a 9.2 per cent decline in showroom activity, which sees its market share slip from 6.3 per cent to just 5.5 per cent.
Mercedes' UK sales have shrunk from 102,750 to around 89,250 units in 2025 as registrations slowed by 13.1 per cent.
Audi, which was the fifth most popular motor brand in Britain last year, registered 111,100 units in the UK in 2025. However, this is 11,000 few sales than it saw the year before as it posted a 9.2% decline in showroom activity
Mercedes' UK sales have shrunk from 102,750 to around 89,250 units in 2025 as registrations slowed by 13.1%. Pictured: New Mercedes cars at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany awaiting export
Tesla UK sales fell from 50,344 in 2024 to 45,513 last term as registrations dipped by almost 10% on the combined impact of drivers shunning founder Elon Musk and also switching to cheaper Chinese rivals
Toyota too is feeling the pinch.
The global market leader sold just over 90,000 new cars to Britons in 2025, compared to almost 101,500 in 2024 as its sales contracted by 11.2 per cent.
Fiat (39 per cent), Seat (37 per cent), Citroen (32 per cent) and Honda (25 per cent) also posted sizable sales deficits in 2025, according to SMMT records.
And, as has been the case across global markets, Tesla showrooms are also seeing more limited business as a result of Chinese brands stealing a march on their EV customers.
Tesla UK sales fell from 50,344 in 2024 to 45,513 last term as registrations dipped by almost 10 per cent.
Stuart Masson, founder and editorial director of consumer-facing website The Car Expert, said some of the sales declines posted by well-known European brands can be a result of 'model cycles and strategic shifts', but says there’s 'also a lot of pain in there' caused by the emergence of new Chinese competition.
'Pricing pressure is keeping profit margins for these car makers down as well,' he told us.
And it's not just EVs where Chinese brands are showing their power.
They too are contributing to the strong growth in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales, which are closing the gap to conventional 'self-charging' hybrids (HEVs).
PHEVs posted the biggest growth of any new car fuel type last year, with sales increasing by 35 per cent to almost 225,150 units in 2025. In comparison, HEV sales grew 7.2 per cent to just over 280,000 registrations, while fully electric car sales increased 24 per cent to almost 475,000 units.
'Brands like BYD, Chery, Jaecoo and Omoda all added new plug-in hybrid models this year, which have been very successful. And there are more on the way in 2026,' Stuart explains.
Some Chinese brands are dramatically expanding their UK dealer networks to increase their presence in Britain. BYD, for instance, now has over 125 showrooms across the country, having purchased many from European brands that have ditched the traditional motor dealership
He also pointed to the recent expansion of Chinese car brand dealer networks in recent months.
'Chinese car brands are also moving in on traditional car dealer sites, replacing legacy brands that have been moving out for years,' he said.
Stuart Masson, editorial director of The Car Expert, said there will be more to come from Chinese brands in 2026, with a number of new names set to launch in the UK
BYD, for instance, now has 125 franchised dealership sites across the UK - a significant upscaling of its operations, given that just 12 months earlier it had only 52 showrooms.
'While companies like Ford, Vauxhall and Jaguar Land Rover have closed hundreds of showrooms across the UK, Chinese companies like BYD and Chery Group have been moving in, opening about 100 new dealerships in the last 12 months – mostly in showrooms that were previously home to European brands,' Stuart said.
'This will further increase their opportunities to reach consumers in 2026 and beyond.'
And he believes there's a lot more to come from these companies in 2026.
'BYD will be introducing its new premium brand, Denza, with at least three new models at launch.
'Chery Group will be broadening out its three brands (Chery, Jaecoo, Omoda) with more models, and has plenty of choice from additional models and more brands that it can introduce to the UK if the demand is there.
'Geely had a quiet start in 2025, but is primed for big expansion in 2026, as is Leapmotor (part of the Stellantis family).
'Additionally, there are more brands like Aion and Zeekr preparing for their UK arrivals in 2026.'
Experts have warned that the growing competition of Chinese car brands could see some falling away from the market. GWM Ora, for instance, posted a fall in registrations by over 50% last year as the manufacturer failed to establish itself in the UK
While Chinese brands appear to be going from strength to strength in the UK, evidence from China's domestic market suggests the bubble could burst for some of them.
A surplus of brands and vehicles in China has resulted in overwhelmed competition, sparking a debilitating price war that some experts say could overflow into the UK market.
Others believe it will result in a 'bloodbath' of Chinese brands, with around only one in ten existing marques likely to survive.
This is because Beijing's incentivised backing has spawned far more brands than can possibly survive.
Even as the headline sales numbers soar to new heights and China was projected to produce in excess of 33million cars in 2025, long-simmering concerns about oversupply and a crippling price war is coming to the fore.
Price cuts of more than 30 per cent were introduced by manufacturers for EVs in their home market last year.
Industry observers believe the sheer volume of makers - which now exceeds 100 different EV manufacturers - and the level of discounting taking place will lead to a 'bloodbath' of brands.
Consultancy AlixPartners last year said that only 15 out of the 129 brands that currently sell EVs and PHEVs in China will be financially viable by 2030, as the intensifying competition and market-wide price cuts forces consolidation and some to exit the market.
And in the UK, we're already seeing some examples of this.
Some Chinese brands have already posted slowing sales having failed to establish themselves in Britain.
This includes Great Wall Motors' Ora as well as Skywell and Xpeng.
GWM Ora's registrations declined by over 50 per cent last year, dropping from 1,162 sales in 2024 to just 542 in 2025.
Xpeng, which is set to launch new models in 2026, registered just 900 vehicles in Britain last year, while Skywell sales limped to only 31 units.
'Some Chinese brands will eventually withdraw from what is a very congested marketplace,' Masson says.
