Manufacturers from China have seen a huge jump in sales in the first month of the year, with drivers looking at affordable alternatives to cars from traditional legacy manufacturers.
The UK car market grew 3.4 per cent in January, with 144,127 new petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars sold in the first month of the year.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that this was the best start to a year since pre-pandemic 2020, prompting optimism from the industry.
While uptake of electric cars rose by 0.1 per cent to almost 30,000 units, its 20.6 per cent market share is the lowest in almost 12 months.
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Despite this, Chinese brands have performed exceptionally well in the first month of the year, with the Jaecoo 7 achieving more than 4,000 sales and placing second in the 10 best-selling vehicles.
The Jaecoo 7 has quickly become one of the most popular hybrid models in the UK, with drivers attracted to the premium SUV with impressive technology and an affordable price tag.
The hybrid has an impressive 56-mile electric range, fast charging from 30 to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes and 275 Nm of torque.
Jaecoo starts pricing for the 7 from £30,115, while the Super Hybrid System will set drivers back £35,165 for a combined range of up to 700 miles.
The BYD Seal U and Jaecoo 7 both ranked in the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK last month
|BYD/JAECOO
The premium SUV has been compared to the Range Rover at a fraction of the price, while the 7 model has become particularly popular with drivers looking to use salary sacrifice to get their hands on the Chinese model.
Jaecoo, as a brand, sold 4,850 vehicles in January, capturing an impressive 3.37 per cent of the total market share and seeing an enormous 570 per cent growth in registrations year-on-year.
Commenting on the brand's sales last year, Gary Lan, CEO of Jaecoo UK, said: "Our first year has been about building trust through product and delivery.
"From the launch of the Jaecoo 7 to the expansion of the range and dealer network, the focus has been on offering genuine choice, strong value, and a level of support that customers can rely on."
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The Jaecoo 7 was the second-best-selling vehicle in January 2026
| JAECOOThe BYD Seal U also impressed with 2,550 sales and placed sixth, beating the likes of the Nissan Juke, Volkswagen Tiguan, VW Golf and MG HS.
The intelligent plug-in hybrid has also become one of the UK's most popular models over the last year, with an affordable price and 700-mile range.
Steve Beattie, sales and marketing director of BYD UK, said: "The Seal U DM-i's fantastic sales statistics show how the British public are responding in ever greater numbers to our brand proposition, taking the opportunity to move to our affordable new energy vehicle with confidence.
"Supported by our fast-growing retailer network and our expanding model range, we have an ideal platform upon which to build for even greater future success."
The BYD Seal U DM-i is the brand's flagship plug-in hybrid model | BYDBest-selling cars in January
- Kia Sportage - 4,675
- Jaecoo 7 - 4,059
- Ford Puma - 3,715
- Nissan Qashqai - 2,995
- Vauxhall Corsa - 2,902
- BYD Seal U - 2,550
- Nissan Juke - 2,517
- Volkswagen Tiguan - 2,425
- Volkswagen Golf - 2,072
- MG HS - 2,035