Chinese car brands in Australia: the winners and losers of 2026
China is now officially the largest source of new cars sold in Australia — but 2026 is splitting the Chinese field in two. Established players like BYD, GWM, MG and Chery have cemented themselves in the national Top 10, while newer arrivals are discovering just how hard the local market is to conquer. Year-to-date registration figures show some Chinese brands growing at extraordinary rates while others are slipping backwards. Here is who is winning, who is losing, and what it means for rideshare and delivery drivers choosing their next car.
Photo: Chery Tiggo 4 — Zotyefan, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The clear winners
BYD has grown its year-on-year share by 110.8 per cent to 25,243 registrations, with a line-up that now rivals established brands like Mazda and Kia. Its most popular model this year is the Sealion 7 electric family SUV, up 324.2 per cent to 6,248 sales — making it Australia''s second-most popular electric car, trailing only the Tesla Model Y (6,719). The Dolphin, Atto 3 and Seal are all up as well, and new arrivals like the Atto 1, Atto 2, Sealion 5 and Sealion 8 keep adding volume. Only the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid (down 2.8 per cent) and Shark 6 ute (down 20.9 per cent) have slowed. Chery is up 92.4 per cent, almost entirely on the back of the Tiggo 4 — at 9,186 sales it is now the best-selling small SUV in the country. Its Omoda Jaecoo spin-off has found 1,845 buyers for the J5 this year.
Photo: Geely Galaxy E5 — JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Geely, one of the biggest names in China, is up a staggering 842.8 per cent from a low base. With only two models on sale, the EX5 electric SUV has notched 2,639 sales and the Starray plug-in hybrid another 2,188. Zeekr has exploded 955 per cent after introducing its 7X family SUV — 2,698 sales easily eclipsing the 009 people mover (59) and X small SUV (81). GWM keeps climbing, up 26.8 per cent to 19,595 sales. The Haval Jolion leads with 7,360 (up 31.8 per cent), the Haval H6 has 5,063 (up 14.6 per cent), and the Cannon ute range adds 3,977. Leapmotor, distributed by Stellantis, is up 116.5 per cent from a small base, with the new B10 electric SUV accounting for 234 of its 420 sales. BYD''s premium sub-brand Denza deserves a mention too: 1,131 sales in four months with just three models — more than doubling Genesis'' 464 over the same period — led by the Prado-rivalling B5 SUV on 729.
Photo: GWM Haval Jolion — GWM MKT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The losers
MG, the former leading Chinese brand until BYD overtook it, is down 1.6 per cent to 14,273 units. New models like the QS large SUV, U9 ute, S5 EV and the premium IM5 and IM6 are helping, but interest in the once-dominant MG3 and MG4 is dwindling. JAC is the biggest faller, down 55.2 per cent to just 359 sales for its single T9 ute — though the incoming Hunter plug-in hybrid ute is expected to revive its fortunes. LDV has shed 13.1 per cent to 4,172 sales despite launching the Terron 9 last year.
Photo: Deepal S07 — Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The hardest hit are the newcomers that launched in the past 12 months. Deepal has registered only 423 sales (the S07 SUV on 346 versus 77 for the E07 ute-cum-SUV), Foton has found 429 customers for its ute line-up, and light-commercial specialist Farizon sits on just 74 sales ahead of a planned range expansion. Notably, XPeng — distributed by TrueEV — does not report sales data to VFACTS at all. - BYD: up 110.8% to 25,243 — Sealion 7 is Australia''s No. 2 EV - Chery: up 92.4% — Tiggo 4 is the best-selling small SUV - Geely: up 842.8% from a low base; EX5 on 2,639 - Zeekr: up 955% on the strength of the 7X - GWM: up 26.8% to 19,595 - MG: down 1.6% to 14,273; JAC: down 55.2%; LDV: down 13.1% - Deepal (423), Foton (429), Farizon (74): new arrivals still struggling
What it means for drivers
For rideshare and delivery drivers, the surge is good news. More showroom competition means sharper pricing and longer equipment lists on the EVs and hybrids that suit ride-hailing work — the BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5 and Zeekr 7X are all practical five-seaters with strong range, while the Chery Tiggo 4 shows how affordable small SUVs have become. Servicing networks are expanding with the brands'' volumes, so support is no longer the gamble it was two years ago. The lesson from the losers is to favour brands with real local momentum: parts, warranty backing and resale all follow sales volume. Brands on the slide like JAC and the struggling newcomers are worth watching, but a car backed by 25,000 annual BYD registrations is a far safer bet than one with a few hundred. *Figures are VFACTS year-to-date registrations as reported by Drive in May 2026. Source: Drive.com.au — Chinese car brands in Australia: The winners and losers so far in 2026.*