West meets East

Chinese models are really starting to make their presence felt in the UK, selling on merit as well as price. Let's see which of these plug-in hybrid family SUVs makes the most sense for British buyers

- NEIL WINN

NOT TOO LONG ago, the idea of buying a Chinese car would have been met with scepticism. In fact, it was once the punchline of a primetime television special; remember when, back in 2012, the Top Gear gang travelled to Beijing to poke fun at the country’s growing but unproven car industry? Fast forward to today, though, and the tables are turning. Chinese-built cars - notably the MG HS family SUV - are beginning to make an impact on the UK’s best-sellers chart, and they're doing it on merit, not just price.

In plug-in hybrid form, the HS didn’t win a ‘Best Budget PHEV’ consolation prize at our 2025 Car of the Year Awards; we named it our overall Plug-in Hybrid of the Year. If you're in the market for a practical, well-equipped and keenly priced PHEV with a long electric range, it’s a great choice.

MG isn't the only Chinese-owned brand on the rise, though. A more recent arrival in the UK is Jaecoo, which is owned by Chery Automotive and is in the same stable as the new Omoda marque. Its first UK model, the Jaecoo 7, is gunning straight for the MG. Available in both petrol and PHEV forms, it commands a slightly higher list price than the MG but aims to justify that with a plush interior, generous standard kit and a sophisticated hybrid system promising impressive efficiency.