These are the new car manufacturers to look out for in 2026
In the last couple of years, the UK’s new car market has been dominated by the arrival of Chinese car manufacturers.
These include companies such as BYD, Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, GWM, Skywell and Xpeng, many of which you’ll find here at UK Carline.
So, for 2026, it comes as no surprise that a lot more Chinese brands will arrive on UK shores, bringing their competitive prices, decent equipment levels and electric powertrains with them.
The question is, which car makers are coming and what will they have to offer when they arrive in the UK?
Here are all of the new Chinese car manufacturers arriving in the UK next year.
Hongqi
Hongqi, believe it or not, is China’s oldest vehicle manufacturer after it was founded in 1958, alongside the FAW Group, which is China’s second largest car maker. It began making passenger vehicles in the same year as the CA72 saloon.
Now, though, the brand is expanding and is aiming to sell vehicles outside of China, tackling the UK market in 2026 with the launch of the EH7 saloon and EHS7 SUV.
Both cars will share the same platform and will be available with 85kWh and 110kWh battery packs. They will be available with dual motor setups and all-wheel drive, while the EH7 is expected to manage a claimed electric range of up to 360 miles and 329 miles in the SUV.
Also, there could be the arrival of a cheaper single electric motor variant for both cars, later down the line.
Denza
You may have heard of Denza before, and that’s because it’s the premium sub-brand of BYD.
Denza will launch its first model in the UK with the Z9GT, which will be a rival to the likes of the Porsche Panamera and will be available with plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains.
It’s anticipated that the firm will introduce a new supercar too, with the ‘Z’. It will utilise an electric setup and will be taking on the Porsche 911 when it arrives in the UK towards the end of next year.
Another model that Denza will be bringing to the UK is the B5 SUV; the firm’s answer to the Land Rover Defender. It will be available as of next year with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid engines and features lots of on-board off-road technology to make it a rough and ready go-anywhere family wagon.
Exeed
Exeed is a premium sub-brand of one of China’s largest car makers, Chery.
Exeed will be coming to the UK next year and will offer affordable petrol and plug-in hybrid SUVs, similar to companies such as Omoda and Jaecoo who are also owned under the Chery umbrella.
The firm’s LX SUV will likely arrive first, which uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and will rival the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Cars like the VX premium SUV will follow, which features a 2.0-litre powertrain and will rival the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE.
Leapmotor
Leapmotor entered the UK market this year and has big plans for the future.
The Chinese firm has a joint-ownership deal with the European giant, Stellantis, and sells affordable electric vehicles.
Leapmotor’s current model line-up consists of the T03 city car and C10 SUV, while the B10 SUV has just gone on sale.
Next year, the firm is expanding its product offerings even further with the launch of the B03X, which will rival the Ford Puma Gen-E and comes equipped with an electric powertrain that will provide a claimed range of up to 310 miles.
Plus, the firm is going after the likes of the Vauxhall Astra Electric and Peugeot E-308 with the new B05 family hatchback, though details on the car’s powertrain are limited at this stage.
Firefly
It might have a silly name, but Firefly needs to be taken seriously in the world of Chinese vehicles.
Firefly is the new lifestyle mobility sub-brand of the Chinese firm, Nio, which already sells several electric premium SUVs and saloons in China.
Firefly will launch its first model to the UK market next year, which, confusingly, is called the Nio. It will be a budget-friendly compact electric hatchback to rival the Renault 5, and is equipped with a 41.2kWh battery pack with an electric motor that produces 141bhp and can do a claimed 205 miles between trips to the plug.
Aion
The latest Chinese car manufacturer to get the green light for the UK market is a company called Aion.
Although you may have never heard of this brand, it’s a subsidiary firm of the Chinese giant, GAC Group, and was established in 2017.
Next year, Aion wants to launch its first car in Britain with the V electric SUV, which will have a claimed range of up to 317 miles and will rival the likes of the Volkswagen ID.4 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric.
Other models will follow in due course, with the next car set to be the UT compact hatchback, which will be available with plug-in hybrid power; though details on this model are limited at this stage.
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