11:02 am, June 11, 2025
Almost three quarters of UK motorists would now consider buying a Chinese car as the latest wave of disruptor brands continue to make their mark.
A new study from Startline Motor Finance found that a massive 72% of drivers would give consideration to buying a car from the likes of BYD, Jaecoo or Omoda.
The firm’s research found that of the new Chinese firms, BYD currently has the highest level of brand recognition, with 28% of potential customers already aware of the outfit.
The brand recently outlined ambitious plans to be the UK’s biggest carmaker within three years, as it continues to grow its dealer network at a rapid rate.
Elsewhere, 19% of those surveyed were familiar with Maxus and 14% with Chery, while Aiways, Denza and Jaecoo were all on 11%.
Lower down the list, Omoda and Xpeng were on n 10%; Nio, Skywell and GWM Ora on 9% and Leapmotor on 8%.
The likes of Lynk & Co (7%), HiPhi (3%) and Zeekr (2%) rounded off the list of brands being recognised by buyers.
Reacting to the findings, which polled the thoughts of 301 consumers and 66 dealers, Paul Burgess, CEO of Startline Motor Finance, said: ‘Chinese manufacturers are making a concerted assault on the UK market – almost 12,000 BYDs were sold here in the first four months of the year – and our research shows that consumers are receptive to the idea of buying a car from them.
‘Many brands are appearing and the biggest problem that faces these new entrants is probably differentiation.
‘Those that are investing heavily in marketing and building dealer networks on the ground are seeing the dividends in terms of consumer awareness and again, BYD is the obvious example, topping our survey.’
Despite the strides made by the challenger brands, 18% of respondents said that they would rather stay with more established companies with a proven track record in the UK.
Meanwhile, 11% expressed concerns over quality and 7% would rather support British car manufacturers. There were also concerns about the availability of parts (4%), security (4%) and dealer support (2%).
Burgess added: ‘This shows that there is some trepidation among a minority of car buyers but really, concrete concerns that you might expect about the kind of quality and support that can be expected from the Chinese new entrants, are very low.’
