Gas-powered Chinese crossovers are proving more popular in Europe than the aggressively promoted zero-emission vehicles — it all comes down to the balance between price and quality. Analysts weigh in on the current trends in the UK auto market.
The best-selling new car in the UK in October 2025 was the Ford Puma crossover. But the real surprise came from China: the gasoline-powered Jaecoo 7 ranked sixth in national sales — no small feat in one of Europe’s largest automotive markets. Over 2,600 units of the new SUV were registered in Britain last month alone.
According to market analysts, Jaecoo has already surpassed brands like Citroën and Lexus in UK sales this year. Another Chinese automaker, BYD, performed even better — registering more new cars in the country than Dacia, Cupra, or MINI over the same period.
This trend highlights more than just European buyers’ growing interest in affordable Chinese models. It also points to a broader slowdown in electric vehicle adoption across the continent.
Philip Nothard, market insight director at Cox Automotive, noted that despite a slight uptick in October sales, the overall market remains unstable due to wavering consumer confidence and political uncertainty. The latest figures, he said, clearly show that the EV rollout is losing momentum — electric vehicles accounted for just 22.4% of all new registrations in the UK so far this year.
Meanwhile, the best-selling new electric model in Britain last month was the French-made Renault 5 hatchback, which managed to outpace many of its EV rivals in its segment.