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Are Chinese Cars On Par With Brands Abroad? https://www.motor1.com/news/608117/chinese-cars-on-par-brands-abroad/?fbclid=IwAR0Fzji0k6QO00iKKXl7nB9D3XvOrHa6KLJXGA3mRMt0YgkL4n8L_fckxlo The market is growing, and more cars are coming from China. Will they find success against established brands in other regions? Sep 02, 2022 at 7:59pm ET By: Juan Felipe Munoz Adapted by: Christopher Smith It is no secret that China is by far the most important automotive market in the world. It is not only the largest in terms of units produced and sold, but it has also become a major hub for research and development, and the place where affordable electric cars can be found. While the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea are mature markets that aren't growing, China is still an important source of growth and profits for the vast majority of carmakers around the world. Its strength is the huge internal demand which allows many brands to sell many models to all types of customers. There are opportunities for anyone if there is clear product planning, and if the cars satisfy users in terms of design and size. For example, consumers in China are not keen on small cars, sports cars, and vans. On the contrary, they love all kinds of SUVs, compact and large sedans, and even pickups. Then they have strong government support. The auto industry and its global expansion are part of the economic growth plan established by the Communist Party. The development of the Chinese automobile is at the heart of the economy. As a result, the progress made by local producers is considerable. But are the latest made-in-China cars on par with European, American, Korean, and Japanese cars? A Matter Of Taste When it comes to design, the answer is a clear yes. The latest models introduced have very interesting shapes that make them modern, fresh, and alive with lots of personality. The Chinese car is no longer the old-fashioned "copy". The design may be a subjective matter, but it is true that Western designers are behind the bodies of many new cars produced by the Chinese. In fact, many of the companies in that country have design centers in Europe and the United States. The way a car looks is one of the first things a new brand has to work on, especially if it's unknown overseas. There are many examples: SUVs and sedans from NIO, BYD Han, and Tang. There's the recently revealed Chery Arrizo 8 and other SUVs like the Changan SL03, UNI-V, UNI-K, and UNI-T. The Avatr 11 is also one of the most beautiful. The GAC GS8 and the square and interesting Haval Big Dog, Cool Dog, and H-DOG are also contenders. In the premium segment, the Hongqi brand does not disappoint with the H9 and E-HS9. Geely, one of the biggest, shines with the Xingyue L and Preface. Its sister brand ZEEKR offers the 001 as a modern large sedan. The entire Lynk & Co range is also very attractive and original. Li Auto has ONE and L9, as two modern and beautiful SUVs. MG has just unveiled the MG7, which could easily be a rival to the Kia Stinger. The Hozon Neta S is a stunning large sedan with a very unique design. The Tank 500 is also a particularly large SUV. Xpeng, available in Europe, has the G9, a huge SUV. Quality And Technology Improve Behind the eye-catching design, the Chinese are working hard to improve the quality of their cars. The materials used and the way the cars are built show almost no difference from their rivals in the west. The same thing is found with the technology used, with very interesting navigation, communication, and software solutions that in many cases are above average abroad. Lack Of Awareness, Reputation, And Heritage Three elements are missing to see Chinese cars dominate on the roads of the world: awareness, reputation, and heritage. The first two can be solved by introducing more attractive, high-quality cars. Consumers across the planet will start learning more about Chinese cars once they hit their markets with competitive cars. This will immediately help improve the bad image Chinese products have in many parts of the world. Japan and Korea can share their experiences. Inheritance is a little more complicated. China doesn't have a long history of car manufacturing and this proves quite challenging for brands competing in the premium segments. In any case, there is still a long way to go. In 2021, there were over 125 Chinese brands that sold cars totaling 13.2 million units worldwide. That is 21 percent more than the total sold in 2020, in contrast to the 6 percent growth recorded by the global market. From this total, units sold overseas amounted to around 885,000 units, which is a little less than 7 percent. However, overseas sales increased 113 percent compared to 2020.

There seems to be a steady increase in the number of Chinese made cars here in Singapore and I've been starting to wonder why people actually buy them. The safety records are terrible, the engines are far from refined and the quality of the cars are mostly horrible as well. Cheap plastics, body work which looks to be made out of tin foil and if I were sitting or driving in one of them, I'd feel like any small accident would kill me. But now, Chery has released its latest creation. The A3. That changes things a bit. The earliest local resident Chinese car was introduced by Chery. And the Chery QQ became the beacon of light which China had shone on our shores. However, Geely soon came along and brought in their popular CK model which made some modders relatively happy with its compact shape and body which had 'sporty' potential. The QQ was always looked down upon by many and its safety record wasn't exactly stunning as well. Maybe stunning in the wrong department. If you happen to have a crash in the QQ, expect to die. Basically thats what their safety report shows. And if you thought that buying a cheap China made car would mean that its friendly to your wallet, you'd want to think again. On paper, the QQ is meant to do 24km/l, but most drivers complain that they're only doing 12km/l. So much for the company's integrity as well.. How do you feel now? However, things have changed and the Chinese manufacturers have definitely gone back to the drawing board to rethink their ideas and creations. We shouldn't forget than not long ago, Korean cars were still seen as poorly made cars, but look at them now! Hopefully, with Chery's new A3 (definitely a far cry from their 'friends' at Audi, and they should be expecting a lawsuit soon from them), they can turn things around. From the looks of it, thats a plus point to the Chinese. This is by far the nicest looking car that has come from the factories of China. And with good reason too. It was styled by the designers at Pininfarina and that has definitely helped in the styling department. As for the engine and its performance, not so good. It would take roughly 13 seconds to reach a 100km/h and its top speed is a safe 174km/h. Technology and safety wise, there has also been improvement. Here's a quote from their website: "The body structure of Chery A3 hatchback is mostly made of high strength steel sheet (40%), approaching to the level of steel sheet on VOLVO cars". So they say.. And they now have stability control and ABS which is also another improvement. Airbags can now be deployed from the sides too, and that's much better than before. I would like to drive this car one day to see how it handles but for now, I think that even though the performance isn't great, this is like Mao's Great Leap Forward. It is a big step that they have made. I am certain that Chinese made cars will be improving in the near future and the A3 is one clear example. Of course they need to settle some issues with the name, and the quality standards, but I think they'll get there one day..