The best Chinese cars on sale in the UK - tested and rated

Best for: the city

China’s second-best-selling car has a lot to live up to – and it does a pretty good job of that.

The Dolphin Surf is excellent as an urban runaround and more mature-feeling than its rivals.

Kris Culmer, Chief sub-editor

A city car, the Dolphin Surf finds itself sitting high up on this list, as it ultimately feels more grown up and more like a ‘proper car’ than the rival Dacia Spring.

There are two battery options: a 30kWh one for a WLTP range of 137 miles or a 43.2kWh one for 200 miles of range. Both offer good value for money at this price point.

Perceived material quality inside is much better than the Spring, and you will find the same touchscreen that can switch between portrait and landscape that you would find in more expensive BYD models.

It’s not a bad steer either. Ride comfort at low speeds is more absorbent than many other small EVs with heavy batteries (looking at you, Mini) and the steering is precise, with a springy self-centring useful for urban action. 

Best for: zero-emission hatchbacks

The 4 is the car that really changed things for MG, shuffling the SAIC-owned brand from a builder of cheap but boring transportation devices with long warranties and tempting finance offers to a manufacturer of note. 

The MG 4 is simply a well-rounded electric hatchback at a price that appears impossible to beat.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Key to this experience is the way this hatchback drives. It flows well, with strong, reassuring brakes and a rear-wheel-drive platform that provides a bit of fun when poked. 

The interior is sensible and well laid out too. The heating controls are easier to use than in some EVs and the range pegs it as one of the most efficient on the market.

It’s even available as a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive hot hatch called the XPower. Despite the added traction and power, it’s not quite as fun as the regular car. But there are very few other options out there that offer 429bhp for less than £40,000.

Best for: company car drivers 

The HS may well be one of the UK’s greatest unhailed commercial success stories, now sitting among the best-selling cars in the UK.

The PHEV doesn't need to fall back on its engine for a fairly gutsy turn of speed.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

This second-generation SUV was introduced in 2024, bringing with it a complete exterior design overhaul, a heavily updated interior and a suite of technology updates.

Its crowning glory, however, is simply what it offers. The plug-in hybrid brings with it a near-25kWh drive battery and some 75 miles of official electric-only range for just a smidge over £30,000. 

There are notes of maturity and sophistication about the way it drives too, while the civility of the pure-electric driving at low speeds is worthy of praise.

Best for: electric superminis

In terms of size, the BYD Dolphin sits between the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Volkswagen ID 3, but it’s usefully cheaper than both.

If you can live with some of the foibles, there’s a lot of medium-range compact electric car for the money here.

Sam Phillips, Staff Writer

The entry-level Active version makes do with 94bhp but should eke out 211 miles (officially) from its little battery.

The Boost gets a bump in power to 174bhp, while the Comfort and Design get 201bhp and a 60.4kWh battery, giving them an official range of up to 265 miles.

In other words, there’s almost something for everyone.

The Dolphin shares a lot of mechanical bits with the Atto 3 crossover (found further down this list), and predictably the pair are quite similar to drive – meaning it’s comfortable but won’t set your socks on fire.

Best for: supercar experience

A hugely significant car for MG, the Cyberster was conceived in the UK and released to coincide with the company’s 100th anniversary.

This is a real head-turner, although it lacks the dynamic charisma of the class's better sports cars.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Does the Cyberster look like a modern MG B? No, but it’s striking enough, aping conventional supercar design rather than mere sports cars.

The standard Trophy model comes with a rear-mounted electric motor making 335bhp and 350lb ft. Then for around £5000 more, there’s the GT, which gains a second motor at the front for 503bhp, 535lb ft of torque and four-wheel drive.

We would go for the cheaper RWD model, as this is lighter and feels dartier to drive. The GT is quicker in a straight line but feels a bit too heavy to be classed as a true sports car.

Best for: interior gimmicks

The Atto 3 was the first car sold by the giant BYD company in the UK.

I love that you can turn off both the heating and air-con but retain fresh-air ventilation.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

Social media users were dazzled by its touchscreen, which can rotate from portrait to landscape, as well as its in-door guitar strings – which, to be frank, don't work very well.

Look beyond the gimmicks, though, and you will find a spacious, well-thought-out electric crossover. 

It will easily cover 200 miles in the real world and its four-year/74,500-mile warranty and eight-year/124,000-mile battery warranty are reassuring.

Best for: value

Another SUV from MG, and another one that doubles down on value for money.

The ZS is roomier, cleverer and better-equipped than you would expect for the money.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Less than £20,000 buys you a small crossover with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but just £1000 or so more will score you a full hybrid, capable of close to 60mpg in our-real world everyday testing.

It’s this version of the ZS we recommend. Its innovative powertrain comprises a 101bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, a three-speed automatic gearbox and a 134bhp electric motor.

Most of the time, the motor does the driving and the engine works to power the starter motor supplying current to the electrical system.

It sounds complicated but works brilliantly. Around town, it’s much like an EV to drive: crisp, quiet and peppy. But of course there’s no faff in filling up with electricity and a tank of petrol should last some 450 miles.

Best for: an upmarket image

Mock the cutesy name all you like, but the Seal is a very serious car.

Apart from the low-speed crashiness, the ride and handling feel sorted – and particularly suited to UK roads.

Illya Verpraet, Road Tester

The Atto 3 and Dolphin found further up this list are aimed at smaller, cheaper segments, but the Seal increases BYD’s stature with a rear-wheel-drive, big-battery, aerodynamic saloon.

Dual-motor cars come with a whopping great big 523bhp and a 3.8sec 0-62mph time, while rear-wheel-drive models still have a very healthy 308bhp.

The Seal feels pleasantly brisk at all times, while at motorway speeds it’s pillowy soft, aided by super-supportive seats. The low-speed ride can feel a bit wooden, mind you.