Consumer interest in Chinese car brands is growing almost 10 times faster than established manufacturers, according to new research that highlights their expanding influence in the UK market.
Data from IMAGIN.studio shows searches for seven leading Chinese brands, including BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda, Xpeng, Chery, Geely and Zeekr, increased by 297% between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.
By comparison, searches for seven established manufacturers, Skoda, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Volvo and Renault, rose by 32% over the same period.
The report found Chinese brands attracted 122.6 million searches during the first six months of 2026, up from 30.9 million a year earlier. Established brands generated 438 million searches, compared with 332 million in the first half of 2025.
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Chinese brands capture more buyer attention
As a result, Chinese manufacturers more than doubled their share of online search interest across the 14 brands analysed, increasing from 9% to almost 22% in 12 months.
The findings come as Chinese manufacturers continue to expand their UK presence through new model launches and growing dealership networks.
Brands including BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda, Xpeng and Chery have all accelerated their dealer appointments over the past year as they seek to increase market share.
Dealers have key role in converting interest
Martijn Versteegen, chief executive of IMAGIN.studio, said the findings underline how Chinese brands have rapidly become established contenders in the UK market.
He said: “Chinese manufacturers have moved from a niche curiosity to a genuine force in the UK car market in the space of a year.
“Growth like this reflects real, growing confidence among buyers in brands that, until recently, very few people in the UK had even heard of.”
He said the rapid rise in consumer awareness also created new challenges for manufacturers and dealerships.
Versteegen added: “But this also raises the stakes for the industry.
“When someone is comparing a Geely or an Omoda against a Volkswagen or a BMW, they don’t have decades of familiarity to lean on. Every detail, every spec, every visual cue has to do more work to build trust.
“That’s where dealers and OEMs need to focus next: making sure that as curiosity turns into consideration, buyers have everything they need, presented clearly, to make a confident decision.”