Almost half, 49 per cent, of motorists have told car buying and selling site Carwow that they would now consider a Chinese brand for their next purchase.

This is the highest level of Chinese car acceptance it has recorded since the rolling poll was first conducted in 2023.

Willingness to go Chinese is significantly up from 35 per cent when the study was run last year, and less than a quarter (24 per cent) when it surveyed drivers in 2023.

It says that 'value for money, growing awareness and an expanding range of models' from China are reshaping the UK new-car market, and the popularity of vehicles like the Jaecoo 7, also known as the 'Temu Range Rover', is increasing acceptance.

This rapid shift in consumer attitudes is further supported by Carwow's own platform data.

Enquiries for Chinese car brands have more than doubled from 14 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 30 per cent between January and the end of June this year.

In contrast, expressions of interest for non-Chinese brands have fallen from 86 per cent to 70 per cent in the same period, it claims.

Carwow's research, based on responses from 1,270 in-market car buyers surveyed in its rolling , shows that lower pricing and more equipment are key factors behind the surge in Chinese car acceptance levels.

More than two in five (42 per cent) drivers who would consider one now cite value for money as the main reason, up from 36 per cent six months ago.

Awareness of Chinese car brands has also risen dramatically.

Jaecoo is quickly becoming a household name, with 69 per cent knowing the brand now compared with 46 per cent 12 months ago.

This is unsurprising, given the 7 SUV is Britain's third most popular new car of 2026 so far.

It's a similar story for sister brands Chery and Omoda, which have seen their brand recognition increase from 16 to 50 per cent and from 42 to 57 per cent respectively over the last year.

This is despite Chery launching in 2025 and both Jaecoo and Omoda having been on the market for around 24 months.

Brands that have been in the UK longer than the Chery Group offering have also become more established.

BYD, which has become one of the best-known Chinese car makers in the UK, is recognised by 71 per cent of drivers, up from just 28 per cent in 2023, while awareness of Xpeng has more than doubled from 8 per cent three years ago to 20 per cent today.

Other major Chinese players have recently entered the UK, namely Geely, which is the fourth most popular brand in its domestic market behind BYD, VW and Toyota.

At the same time, the proportion of drivers who say they have heard of none of the Chinese brands listed has fallen from 23 per cent in 2025 to just 16 per cent in the latest survey.

Ben Carter, chief customer and marketing officer at Carwow, said the dramatic increase in UK drivers considering Chinese brands isn't just about cost-of-living pressures or lower price tags, but reflects a 'shift in how people think about their cars'.

He added: 'Buyers are leaving badge loyalty behind and looking for impressive tech and great value.'

The Jaecoo 7 has amassed a staggering 26,549 UK orders between January and the end of July, official sales data shows.

Only the Ford Puma (33,173) and Kia Sportage (29,033) have been delivered in greater numbers than the Jaecoo 7 this year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Chinese brands as a whole now represent more than 15 per cent of all new cars sold in Britain.

And Chery Group vehicles account for more than one in 16 (6.4 per cent) new cars registered in 2026.

Such has been the car maker's success in Britain over the last two years that Chery recently announced plans to produce vehicles for the UK market at Nissan's Sunderland factory, utilising an unused assembly line and spare production capacity at the struggling Japanese vehicle manufacturer's UK plant.

Last week, it also confirmed it will set up a new research and development centre in Bedfordshire to continue tuning its vehicles for the UK market.