The ten Chinese car brands on this list will make you admire their popularity. With a huge number of cars produced and sold, China is the largest auto market in the world today.
Affordable prices, beautiful designs, and attractive technology are the advantages of Chinese models. To find out which Chinese automakers are the most popular, read this article!
If you want to stay current on the current state of the Chinese automotive business, here is a list of the top car brands in China.
1. Chery
- Established date: 1997
- Headquarters: Vu Ho, Anhui, China
- Some popular car models: Exeed, Karry, Jetour, Chery
Chery is a Chinese car company that has been operating since 1997. Since its establishment, Chery has always been the leading car company in terms of the number of cars exported to other countries and maintained until now.
Chery also does business in Eastern Europe, South America, and Africa. This car brand is also a persistent partner of Jaguar-Land Rover when it assembles these luxury cars in China.
The company sold 8.3 million items in total up till 2019, more than 1.6 million of which were automobiles.
2. BYD Auto
- Established date: 1995
- Headquarters: Shenzhen, China
- Popular car model: BYD Tang.
One of the biggest Chinese auto brands is BYD Auto, which stands for Build Your Dreams. Its three main business divisions are Electric Vehicles, Automotive Products, and New Energy Vehicles.
BYD was among China’s top three auto manufacturers in May 2022. Data released by the China Tourist Vehicle Association shows that BYD sold 113,768 vehicles in May. That makes the brand second in terms of retail sales in China, just behind FAW-Volkswagen.
The reason why BYD’s auto sales special is that it no longer makes cars with internal combustion engines. Instead, all cars were hybrids or all-electric.
3. JAC Motors
- Established date: 1997
- Headquarters: Chongqing, China
- Some popular car models: Refine, Jiayue
JAC Motors is a well-known Chinese automaker. It manufactures both passenger automobiles and business vehicles.
The company can produce 500,000 engines, 700,000 automobiles, and other auto parts annually. In addition to domestic consumption, JAC exports products to South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Currently, the corporate office of JAC Motors is collaborating with Chrysler LLC to produce Jeep Cherokee models for sale in China.
4. Great Wall Motors
- Established date: 1984
- Headquarters: Baoding, Hebei, China
- Some popular car models: Haval, Wey, Tank, ORA
One of China’s leading automobile manufacturers is Great Wall Motors, founded in 1984. The group also has production facilities in Brazil, Argentina, and China.
Great Wall has grown into an international business with over one million employees since its founding more than 30 years ago.
As well as making cars and SUVs for its brands, Great Wall also makes cars for others, including Nissan, Toyota, and BMW. In 2021, it sold 1.28 million cars.
5. Geely
- Established date: 1997
- Headquarters: Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Some popular car models: Geely Pride, SRV, Merrie, Mermaid Leopard
Thanks to owning Volvo Cars and aggressive marketing of some of its brands outside of China, Geely is perhaps the most international.
Ford sold Volvo Cars to Geely in 2010 for $1.8 billion. As a result, the company’s total assets surpassed 110 billion yuan and entered the top 500 global companies in three years of operation.
There are currently more than 30 sub-brands under the Geely umbrella, including Geely Pride, Freeship, SRV, and Mermaid Leopard.
6. GAC Group
- Established date: 1992
- Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
- Some popular car models: GAC, Trumpchi, Aion
GAC is one of the brands producing high-quality vehicles and works to establish itself as a top-tier automotive manufacturer.
Through Trumpchi, GAC, and Aion, this GAC Group sold 450 000 units in 2021. These are different-sized SUVs along with a few intriguing sedans and electric vehicles.
It also collaborates with Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, and Stellaris to develop cars under this joint venture. In addition, there were 50 more Lexus luxury vehicle showrooms in China in 2022.
7. Dongfeng Motor
- Established date: 1968
- Headquarters: Wuhan, China
- Some popular car models: Venucia, Fengshen
Dongfeng Motor is a state-owned automaker. By collaborating with Nissan, Dongfeng has emerged as a prominent force in the Chinese automotive industry.
With Chinese automakers like Venucia and Fengshen, Dongfeng is prepared to compete with other businesses. These multinational automakers have already made progress in Asia.
In 2018, it was ranked 65th on the Fortune Global 500 list, and in 2019, it was ranked fourth among the top 500 manufacturing firms in China.
8. Foton Motor
- Established date: 1996
- Headquarters: Changping, Beijing, China
- Some popular car models: Tunland IBLUE
Foton Motor Group is one of the most successful commercial automakers in the world. Foton Motor specializes in making vehicles and agricultural equipment.
The corporation, which has its headquarters in Beijing’s Changping District, has 86 billion in current assets and a 132 billion brand value. Additionally, it is China’s largest manufacturer of passenger cars.
This car brand has produced more than 8 million vehicles and exported more than 560,000.
9. SAIC Motor
- Established date: 1997
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- Some popular car models: MG, Roewe, Maxus
One of the largest companies in China, SAIC Motor, is rapidly expanding into a high-tech enterprise. The brand sold 1.11 million cars globally in 2021.
With 53,100 vehicles delivered under the MG brand, the company ranked second among Chinese carmakers in terms of sales in Europe in 2021. Except for Geely, this equates to more than 80 % of total Chinese brands supplied in this market.
Automakers have had and are continuing to develop their technological prowess in data and software experiences.
10. Changan Automobile Group
- Established date: 1862
- Headquarters: Chongqing, China
- Some popular car models: CS, EADO
Changan Automobile Group is the largest volume maker of automobile brands in China (20% market share in China).
It manufactures automobiles under several brands, including its own. But its mid-range cars are arguably best recognized.
Globally, Changan operates 16 manufacturing bases and 35 vehicle-engine plants. 2016 saw a 3,000,000 unit production and sales volume for Changan. More than 17 million Changan-branded vehicles were in use as of July 2018.
FAQs
Why are Chinese cars cheap?
Chinese cars are cheap because of low labor costs, government subsidies, and high-volume production.
Another factor contributing to lower prices relative to Japanese and Korean manufacturers is the current 5% import fee. This fee is for vehicles made in China with a capacity of fewer than 1.5 liters.
Does China have luxury cars?
The answer is yes. In 2021, the luxury car market in China was worth $143 billion. Hongqi is one of the luxury car manufacturers in this country.
Are Chinese cars reliable?
Yes, they are. Although the price is very affordable, Chinese cars are still very good quality and comparable to many major car manufacturers around the world. The Chinese car manufacturers on this list are all long-time partners with major European automakers.
Conclusion
Each Chinese car company has very famous and trusted models. Compared to popular car brands in the world, Chinese cars are much cheaper. However, their quality is still very guaranteed. For more interesting articles about China, visit our website!