Over the past few years, Chinese automakers have quietly expanded their foothold in the European market, and their growing presence is now prompting local brands to take notice. In December 2025 alone, Chinese-branded vehicles achieved a record-high market share of total car sales in the continent. This surge occurred amidst a broader market recovery, with both December and full-year 2025 sales surpassing the previous year’s figures.
Data from Dataforce, covering approximately 98% of production in European, UK, and EFTA markets, reveals that in 2025, European consumers purchased 13,295,075 new vehicles, a significant increase from the 12,994,720 units sold in 2024.
According to Auto News, December played a pivotal role in the year’s overall growth. Sales in December 2025 climbed to 1,151,209 units, driven by strong performances in key markets, including the UK.
However, December marked more than just a market rebound. For the first time, Chinese automakers sold over 100,000 vehicles in a single month, with 109,864 units delivered to European consumers, a 126% increase.
One in every ten new cars sold in Europe during December 2025 was a Chinese vehicle.
Beyond December, Chinese brands sold a total of 810,982 vehicles throughout the year, a 99% increase compared to 2024. This performance secured them a 6.1% market share in the European automotive market by the end of 2025. While this figure may seem modest, the upward trend is unmistakable.
SAIC, the owner of the MG brand, led Chinese sales in Europe with 307,812 units in 2025, up from 244,121 in 2024. MG accounted for 307,282 of these sales, with the remaining 530 units coming from the Maxus brand.
BYD followed closely, with 2025 sales reaching 186,612 units, a dramatic rise from 49,590 in 2024. This growth was primarily driven by models like the BYD Seal U, Dolphin Surf, Sealion 9, and Seal. The Seal U alone sold 79,407 units, with 72,667 being plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), making it Europe’s best-selling PHEV in 2025.
Chery also made significant strides, selling 120,207 vehicles in 2025, up from just 17,038 in 2024. The Jaecoo brand stood out, with sales soaring from 2,490 to 56,944 units. Omoda also saw substantial growth, rising from 14,540 to 52,950 units.
Geely recorded strong results with 400,725 vehicles sold in Europe last year. Volvo remained the group’s sales cornerstone, contributing 332,226 units.
Other Geely brands, including Geely, Lynk & Co, Polestar, and Zeekr, also experienced growth. Notably, Polestar sold 47,579 units, up from 30,546 the previous year, largely thanks to the Polestar 4, which accounted for 26,316 sales.
Stellantis-backed Leapmotor emerged as a strong contender, ranking sixth among Chinese automakers in Europe with 33,567 units sold. The compact electric T03 model dominated, representing 60% of sales, highlighting the persistent demand for affordable electric vehicles in the region.
Chinese automakers are now challenging established brands in the rankings. MG ended 2025 as the 16th best-selling brand in Europe, surpassing Cupra, Nissan, and Fiat. BYD climbed to 22nd place, overtaking Suzuki, Mini, and Mazda. Jaecoo, Omoda, and Polestar also entered the top 35.
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