8:40 am, March 21, 2025
According to Auto Trader’s Road to 2030 report, two in five UK car buyers are open to considering a Chinese car.
In the next five years, Chinese brands will make significant inroads into the UK market. For retailers, success will depend on selecting the right brands while achieving profitability quickly – a challenging balancing act where marketing teams play a crucial role.
If you’re considering adding a Chinese brand to your dealership, we explain why educating buyers on their benefits compared to established manufacturers is essential. We’ll also cover how detailed buyer personas can help identify the right audiences and drive sales.
China has carved out its position as an EV leader
Over the last decade, Chinese brands have invested heavily in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The UK now has the third-largest EV market globally; 41.6% of 2024’s new car sales were EVs or HEVs.
Research from EY indicates 59% of UK drivers planning to buy in the next two years are prioritising electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid models.
For buyers focused on environmental concerns or wanting to get ahead of government deadlines for phasing out petrol and diesel cars, a Chinese EV could be the perfect fit.
Economies of scale create appealing price points
Chinese brands often offer lower-priced models than Western equivalents, even at higher specifications. This is due to economies of scale in raw material sourcing and manufacturing. Among 2024–25’s new models, 20 were under £30,000, while the average UK EV costs £46,000.
As EV prices align with new ICE vehicles, buyers benefit from lower monthly payments, reduced depreciation, and a more active used market.
Features like touchscreens and reversing cameras, often ‘optional extras’ or subscriptions in other brands, are typically standard in Chinese models.
Auto Trader’s survey found 17–34-year-olds are most interested in Chinese cars, citing affordability as a key motivator. Marketing around an ‘affordable premium’ theme can resonate with this audience.
Build brand recognition to capture buyers
Chinese brands may be here to stay, but there will be a few hurdles to overcome. Brand loyalty is declining, especially for EV drivers, but brand recognition is still important for appealing to buyers.
‘That means allocating marketing spend to education,’ says Faye Thomassen, head of marketing at Mediahawk. ‘Comparing Chinese models to familiar ones, like an Omoda 5 versus a Nissan Qashqai, helps buyers relate.
‘Clear breakdowns of costs, features, and mileage per charge also support decision-making.’
Omoda 5 vs rivals
| Version | OTR Price | Monthly Payment | Deposit | APR | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omoda 5 Comfort 186PS AT | £25,235 | £299 | £4,400 | 5.90% | 49 |
| Hyundai Kona Advance 100PS MT | £26,040 | £311.50 | £4,400 | 6.90% | 49 |
| Kia Niro 2 130PS AT | £30,085 | £367 | £4,400 | 7.90% | 37 |
| MG ZS Exclusive 111PS AT | £23,390 | £225 | £4,400 | 8.90% | 49 |
| MG HS SE 162PS AT | £25,550 | £325 | £4,400 | 8.90% | 49 |
| Nissan New Qashqai N-Connecta 140PS MT | £32,305 | £380 | £4,400 | 5.99% | 49 |
| VW T-Roc Life 115PS MT | £28,330 | £297 | £4,400 | 6.90% | 49 |
Create your own buyer personas
‘As these cars are new to the UK, it can be difficult to know who the real target market is for each model,’ says Thomassen. ‘The manufacturers will have their own personas, and you can make an educated guess based on who buys similar cars. But until you start seeing enquiries, test drives, and sales, there’s no way to know if those personas are accurate.’
You can, however, start building your personas quickly – and use the same insight to measure the effectiveness of your marketing activities. That starts with capturing as much data as possible by:
Getting to know your buyers’ preferred channels
Nearly 70% of buyers surveyed by AutoTrader said they did their research both online and in-person at a dealership. Off the forecourt, it can be tricky to pinpoint where a prospective buyer engaged with you first.
Call tracking can help you map this journey by assigning different numbers to your PPC, social ads, classifieds, and any other channels. So, when a call comes in, you know its source.
Analysing calls to understand customer priorities
Phone calls can be a treasure trove of information about what your buyers are looking for, their intent to test drive or buy, and their decision triggers – but pulling out these insights manually is tricky.
Conversation analytics can automatically transcribe the call and pick out relevant keywords that tell you the purpose and outcome of the discussion.
You can create custom tags related to your Chinese models, helping you track how people respond to your marketing and how well your team communicates their benefits.
When you know more about who’s interested in your Chinese car brands, it becomes so much easier to tailor your marketing activities to target them more effectively.
Summary
Whether these Chinese brands are simply here to expand the UK market or completely revolutionise the cars we drive remains to be seen.
But their combination of impressive battery technologies, reasonable price points, and commitment to providing ‘bells and whistles’ as standard will make them a strong option for many drivers.
Understanding which subsections of your prospective buyers are interested in Chinese brands, and which features and specifications appeal to them, is vital to achieve profitability quickly.
