7th October 2026
Britain's car market is undergoing a rather remarkable change.
Chinese car brands that were barely visible on British roads a few years ago are now becoming increasingly difficult to miss.
BYD, Jaecoo, Chery, Omoda, MG, Geely and other Chinese-owned brands are expanding rapidly, offering British buyers a combination of competitive prices, generous equipment and increasingly sophisticated electric and hybrid technology.
And consumers are buying them.
September was another particularly strong month. UK new-car registrations rose 12% compared with a year earlier, while battery-electric registrations increased by more than 36%. Chinese brands were among the biggest beneficiaries.
The Jaecoo 7 was Britain's best-selling car in September, while BYD also recorded a very strong month.
That raises an interesting question for anyone thinking about changing their car.
Should you buy now before the Government potentially puts tariffs on Chinese cars?
The Government has changed its position
This is where the story gets interesting.
Only a few weeks ago, the Government was saying that it had no plans to increase tariffs on Chinese cars.
In September, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds indicated that the Government wanted to maintain its trading relationship with China rather than simply follow the EU's approach.
But reports this week suggest that the Government is now preparing options for additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
The reason is partly the extraordinary speed at which Chinese manufacturers are gaining market share.
There is also pressure from the European Union, which has already imposed additional duties on Chinese battery-electric vehicles because of concerns about state subsidies and unfair competition.
Reuters reported on 4 October that Britain was considering tariffs amid concerns about Chinese state-supported vehicle production.
So something that looked unlikely only a few weeks ago is now firmly back on the table.
Why does the Government care?
There are two competing arguments.
The first is the consumer argument.
Chinese manufacturers are bringing more competition into the British market.
That can mean lower prices and better equipment.
If a Chinese manufacturer sells a car with a long list of standard equipment for considerably less than an established European or Japanese rival, consumers benefit.
Competition can also force established manufacturers to become more competitive.
The second argument concerns Britain's automotive industry.
If Chinese manufacturers rapidly capture a large proportion of the British market while importing most of their cars from China, British and European manufacturers could find it increasingly difficult to compete.
That could eventually affect factories, investment and jobs.
The Government therefore has to balance cheaper cars for today's consumers against the future of Britain's manufacturing industry.
It is not an easy calculation.
But tariffs would ultimately be paid by someone[b]
This is perhaps the most important point for consumers.
A tariff is effectively a tax on imported goods.
If Britain imposed, say, a substantial additional tariff on a £30,000 Chinese-built car, somebody has to absorb the cost.
It could be the manufacturer.
It could be the British importer.
The dealer could absorb some of it.
Or some or all of it could eventually appear in the price paid by the customer.
Manufacturers may also respond by changing specifications, offering discounts or moving production to other countries.
So a tariff does not automatically mean that every Chinese car will suddenly become thousands of pounds more expensive.
But it creates the possibility.
And the British market is moving quickly
This is what makes the timing particularly interesting.
Chinese brands are not waiting for Britain to make up its mind.
They are already building their customer base.
September's figures showed just how quickly the market is changing, with Chinese brands accounting for a substantial and rapidly growing share of new registrations.
And these are not simply cheap electric cars.
Chinese manufacturers are increasingly selling petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models.
That matters because it means they are competing across much of the market rather than occupying one small electric-car niche.
[b]So should you buy now?
There is no need to rush out and buy a car simply because tariffs are being discussed.
A car is still an expensive purchase.
If your existing vehicle is reliable and you were not planning to replace it, changing it simply because prices might rise would make little financial sense.
But there is a different situation.
Suppose you were already planning to buy a new car within the next few months.
You have decided what you want.
You have found a Chinese model that suits you.
You have a dealer offering a price you are happy with.
And you would be buying the car anyway.
In that situation, there is an argument for not unnecessarily delaying the purchase.
Not because tariffs are certain.
They aren't.
But because the Government is now considering them.
There is another reason not to panic
The manufacturers themselves have a very strong incentive to keep selling cars.
If tariffs were introduced, Chinese companies would not necessarily sit back and simply add the full cost to the showroom price.
They could absorb part of the increase.
They could offer discounts.
They could alter specifications.
They could negotiate with dealers.
And some may eventually build more vehicles outside China.
So it would be wrong to tell people that a £30,000 Chinese car will automatically become a £40,000 car if tariffs arrive.
That is not how competitive markets necessarily work.
What about second-hand values?
This is another question potential buyers should consider.
Chinese brands are relatively new to the British market.
That means there is less long-term information about how particular models will perform in the used-car market.
Residual values matter.
A car that looks like a bargain when new is not necessarily a bargain if it loses a large proportion of its value over the next three years.
Buyers should therefore look beyond the headline showroom price.
Check the warranty.
Check servicing arrangements.
Check where replacement parts come from.
Check how many dealers there are.
Check insurance costs.
And perhaps most importantly, check what similar cars are actually selling for second-hand.
There is also the question of Britain itself
There is a slightly uncomfortable irony here.
Britain wants consumers to buy electric cars.
Chinese manufacturers are helping make electric cars more affordable.
They are also helping Britain move towards its increasingly ambitious zero-emission vehicle targets.
But if the Government imposes tariffs on those same cars, some of the price advantage could disappear.
That could make the transition to electric vehicles more expensive.
On the other hand, allowing heavily subsidised imports to dominate the market could create another problem if British manufacturing cannot compete.
This is why the Government faces a difficult balancing act.
What happens next?
At present, additional UK tariffs on Chinese cars are not a certainty.
The Government is considering its options, and there are concerns about the consequences of any decision.
One particularly important issue is retaliation.
China could respond with tariffs or other restrictions on British exports.
That matters because British car manufacturers also sell vehicles in China.
So the Government has to consider not only what happens to the price of Chinese cars in Britain, but what happens to British companies selling products abroad.
There is also the developing relationship with the EU.
Brussels wants Britain to align more closely with European trade policy on Chinese vehicles as part of wider discussions about future automotive trade arrangements.
That makes the decision more complicated still.
Don't buy because of fear
For anyone in Caithness, Wick or Thurso thinking about replacing a car, my advice would be relatively simple.
Don't buy a car you don't need because you are frightened that tariffs are coming.
But if you already need a new car, and have found a Chinese model you genuinely want at a price you are happy with, it may be worth asking the dealer whether today's price is guaranteed for delivery.
It may also be worth asking what happens if tariffs change between ordering and registration.
Get the answer in writing.
That could be more valuable than trying to predict what Westminster will decide.
The bigger question
There is a much bigger issue underneath all of this.
For years, consumers have been told that competition is good because it keeps prices down.
Now Britain is discovering what happens when an extremely competitive manufacturing nation arrives with products that consumers actually want to buy.
The Government may have to choose between protecting domestic industry and keeping prices low for consumers.
And whatever decision it makes, somebody is likely to pay for it.
For the motorist, therefore, the question is not simply:
“Are Chinese cars any good?”
It is becoming:
“Will today's bargain still be a bargain if the Government changes the rules tomorrow?”