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I think it’s fair to say 2024 was the year where Chinese cars started to shake their budget appeal and moved into the mainstream.
Affordability is still a big part of the sales pitch, but it’s not just getting in at that entry level with cars such as the previous smash-hit MG3.
Now MG shoots much higher, taking the EV sales crown from Tesla’s Model 3 recently with its keenly priced MG4.
Recent feedback from the public seems to indicate that there’s also an appetite for more upmarket Chinese brands like Xpeng and Zeekr, as more buyers look beyond Tesla for their electric options.
BYD is arguably the brand that has made the most ground in the past two years. Not only can buyers not get enough of the four cars, which it currently fields in Australia, but there’s appetite for much more.
So what are some of the best options out there from China which aren’t currently offered Down Under? Let’s take a look at some of our favourites.
Not only do articles about BYD’s plug-in hybrid off-road Defender-style SUV go crazy, but it might be the only Chinese car I have had actual people ask me in real life when it’s coming.
FangChengBao (roughly translating to Formula Leopard) is BYD’s plug-in hybrid off-road sub-brand, but don’t worry, it’s more likely to be called the BYD Leopard 5 in Australia.
Cool name, cooler car. The 5 is a Defender 110-sized plug-in hybrid with enviable stats. I sat in one at the Beijing motor show earlier this year and was again impressed by not only the size of it, but what it had to offer in terms of cabin materials, overall design and swish software.
Chances of its arrival are high, with BYD’s local executives leaving no question marks around the fact that they want it. I have no doubt next year this will become the most anticipated new Chinese vehicle launch, following in the footsteps of the related Shark 6 ute that just launched.
In fact, some of the ground work for its arrival may already be underway, as it shares its underpinnings with the Shark 6. If or when it arrives, it will go into battle against similar plug-in hybrid offerings from GWM’s Tank sub-brand.
Read more about the FangChengBao Leopard 5 here
Nio is one of the few Chinese companies that hasn’t set a hard timeline for an Australian arrival, although it has earmarked our continent in the past.
An early homegrown Chinese rival to the likes of Tesla, Nio isn’t backed by one of the big groups like Geely or SAIC. Instead this go-it-alone company fights other small time EV makers, like Xpeng, but does so in an innovative manner, investing in unusual solutions to its problems, like battery swap stations that it operates throughout China.
Its range of vehicles has always stood out from other Chinese automakers thanks to its Euro-inspired design and somewhat homogenous look and feel. This brand was early to be a competitor in Europe despite not yet launching in right-hand drive markets.
The ET5 is a Model 3-rivalling mid-size liftback, which is also offered in interesting Touring (station wagon) form, and could be exactly the antidote for people who don’t want a Tesla in that market segment. It would go into battle with the Polestar 2 and slightly less premium BYD Seal.
Again, this is a car I managed to get a moment in at the Beijing motor show, and was impressed with its materials, interior quality, and software. Although the brand has its hands full for now, we have no doubt it will be watching the progress of rival Xpeng in Australia next year.
Read more about the Nio ET5 here
Chery has been on the war path trying to re-establish itself in Australia with a flurry of new mainstream models. Overseas though, it’s launching an entire pantheon of sub-brands for every possible need.
Next year we’ll get the semi-premium Jetour brand, initially consisting of combustion models, and overseas the brand will probably need to make use of cars from its Fulwin sub-brand that sells overhauled hybrid versions of cars in Chery’s mainline range.
The brand would be missing a trick not to bring Jetour to our market. Essentially a fledgling rival to GWM’s Tank brand, Jetour’s hero model is its Traveller SUV, which adopts the same boxy classic off-roader design that is so popular at the moment.
The Traveller would certainly have a battle on its hands, challenging everything from the new Toyota LandCruiser Prado to the Tank 300 and the previously mentioned Leopard 5 from BYD. Expect a 2.0-litre turbo combustion engine rather than a plug-in hybrid initially, but no doubt Chery will need some form of electrification in the near future to pull punches with its domestic rivals.
So far Chery’s local division has put a pin in Jetour, saying it’s not yet in the plans and developing right-hand drive versions may never make a business case. Regardless, it will be one we’re watching. Reports out of China have it off to a big start in sales since its domestic launch.
Read more about the Jetour Traveller here
It wouldn’t be for everyone, but it would provide an alternative to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz G Wagen complete with a crazy plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
The Tank 700 is intentionally the opposite of the retro-styled offerings from many of its rivals, instead embracing the modern military vibe with a much more angular design instead of the classic box look.
This giant SUV serves as the Tank brand’s halo model and boasts ridiculous specs, like a 3.0-litre twin-turbo engine mated to a plug-in hybrid system producing up to 385kW/750Nm, locking front and rear differentials, air suspension, and a massive 16.2-inch centre multimedia touchscreen.
Not only that, but should it arrive in Australia (like the brand is suggesting it might push for) it would be the first GWM model to push well over the $100,000 mark. In fact, in its first export market it starts from the equivalent of $131,381!
I sat in one of these at GWM’s HQ in Baoding and can confirm it feels all the flagship SUV it should, with Nappa leather seat trim, heated and cooled front seats, and more features than you can poke a stick at, complete with an overall design vibe clearly aimed at the Mercedes G-Wagen crowd.
Is an Australian audience ready for a $130,000-plus GWM? Time will tell.
Read more about the Tank 700 here
Imagine the slick design, European feel, and handling prowess of a brand like Volvo, all wrapped in a more affordable Chinese-built mid-size SUV. That’s exactly what the Geely Xingyue should offer.
Using the same CMA platform underpinnings as the Volvo XC40, the Xingyue (which is known as the Monjaro in some overseas markets) has the ingredients to be an early hit for the brand when it comes to Australia next year, being essentially an affordable take on the luxury Volvo formula.
Whether it will or not is unknown. Geely has thus far only confirmed it will launch with the smaller EX5 fully electric SUV, with designs on more EV models as its Australian range expands over the course of 2025.
It would be a shame to miss out on the brand’s wider catalogue, as cars like the Xingyue and its sharp-looking Xingrue sedan relation are not only offered with keen Volvo-derived engine choices, but are also offered with a new plugless hybrid drivetrain which Australians seem drawn to now more than ever in the age of $2 a litre fuel.
Geely in particular will have a fight on its hands in Australia, as it launches into a market with established mainstream Chinese rivals like GWM, SAIC-backed MG, and incoming GAC.
It’s been frequently said that not all Chinese newcomers will survive, will Geely put its best foot forward? We’ll find out before long.
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