China has been a dominating force in manufacturing for decades, with many of the products we buy and use daily being made there. But, until recently, the same could not be said for cars; despite there being numerous Chinese car brands, they never really made much headway in any markets outside of Asia. 

However, with over 10% of new cars sold in the UK in 2025 being made in China, that is changing. Here is a rundown of some of the most notable brands, with some information about their current models. 

MG Motor UK

MG has a long and varied history in the UK, first founded in the 1920s, they were famous for their open-top sports cars like the MG A and MG TF. The brand was owned by numerous companies throughout its life, but was finally bought by the current owner, SAIC, in 2011.

A full-scale re-launch, geared heavily towards cost-effective electric and hybrid cars, started in 2019. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength, with very successful models such as the MG5, MG HS and MG ZS.

SAIC, the owner of the MG Europe brand, is the biggest producer of cars in China, and has dozens of factories making both SAIC and MG-branded cars, for inside and outside of China, respectively. 

Top MG Models

• MG4 -  A compact family car, the long-range model has 200hp and AWD, prices start from £26,995.
• MG HS - One of their most popular models, the HS is a mid-size SUV, available in both petrol and EV versions. Prices start at £24,995 - cheap even for an ICE-powered SUVs.
• Cyberster GT - The Cyberster harks back to the older days of MG, an open-top top sportscar. With AWD and nearly 500hp, this is a world away from the MG B, though!
• MG5 - An estate car offered in both ICE and EV powertrains, a popular fleet car that has been on sale in China since 2012.

BYD (Build Your Dreams)

The company that became BYD was originally a battery manufacturer formed in 1995; they diversified into cars in the early 2000s. Their models are well known for their quirky design and names, notable mentions being the Seal, Sealion and Dolphin. 

Global sales in 2022 hit 1.8 million, making them a significant player internationally. Priced slightly higher than the likes of MG, and with a focus on luxurious interiors, they are targeting the higher end of this new market.

Popular BYD Models

• Atto 3 - A compact crossover EV with an extremely interesting interior, unlike most of the cars in this segment.
• Dolphin - A small car aimed at city driving and those not needing loads of interior space, competitively priced at £26,205 considering its high-end interior trim materials.
• Seal - Aimed as a competitor for the mid-size executive saloon market, the Seal starts at £45,707 and claims over 300 horsepower and 350+ miles of range.
• Sealion - A large SUV with upmarket tech and interior materials, competing with the likes of the upcoming Volvo EX60.

Omoda

Chery, the parent company of Omoda, was founded in 1997, but did not enter the UK market until 2024, with the Omoda 5 launch in March of that year. The brand is offering mid-level vehicles that offer a good amount of tech and luxury, but aren’t as expensive as some more luxury brands. 

Chery is the fourth largest vehicle manufacturer in China, and as such has many facilities across the country, its vehicle selection in the UK is currently limited to three models, the Omoda 5, the E5 and the Omoda 9. 

Omoda Models 

• Omoda 5  - an SUV available with a 1.6 turbocharged petrol engine, prices start from just £23,990.
• Omoda E5 - the EV version of the 5, the E5 starts at just over £33,000 and claims a range of over 250 miles. Both interior and exterior details are very similar to the bulk of SUVs currently hitting the market. 
• Omoda 9 SHS - SHS stands for Super Hybrid System, referring to the model's 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain. The 9 claims to have over 700 miles of combined range (electric battery and petrol engine).

GWM (Great Wall Motor) – ORA

GWM came to the UK market ahead of most other Chinese brands, with their diesel powered Steed pickup truck in 2012. The Steed didn’t sell in great numbers, but the new ORA brand has. 

Their flagship vehicle being the ORA 3 (originally named the Funky Cat) which is a small, quirky city car, powered by a 170bhp electric motor. With prices starting at just under £25,000, it offers good value compared to the competition. 

GWM is also busy bringing another brand to the UK; HAVAL, which will specialise in SUVs and Crossovers. Their first car; the Jolion Pro. They have also teased what looks like a pickup truck too.

GWM Models:

• ORA 03 (formerly the Funky Cat) - a small and chirpy electric city car with respectable power and range, at a very reasonable price.
• HAVAL Jolion Pro - a compact SUV with a 1.5-litre petrol hybrid powertrain .

Zeekr (Geely)

As seems to be common with all the brands discussed here, Zeekr is another offshoot from a larger company, with the aim of targeting a different market. The parent company, Geely, is one of the larger car makers in China, and actually owns a few well-known “European” brands such as Polestar, Volvo and Lotus.

Zeekr is primarily focussed on the luxury market, with three cars in their current lineup, the most notable, the 001, is bucking the trend slightly by offering a shooting brake style 5 door, reminiscent of a larger Porsche Panamera.

The AWD performance model has over 500hp, putting it squarely in the high-end performance EV category. Other models include the angular Zeekr X (expected late 2025) and the 7X to come sometime after that. 

Expected Zeekr Models

• 001 - Shooting brake EV with up to 500hp and over 600km EV range - expected to start at £58,500
• X - A boldly shaped SUV/crossover, again with significant power and torque figures, is suspected to be released later this year. 
• 7X  - Another compact SUV, with styling similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Author - Joseph Law

Joseph has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.