Chinese cars are no longer what they were ten or even twenty years ago. Today, it is no longer just “cheap and angry”, but a focus on modern design, the latest electronics, European engineering and advanced technologies. The electric car segment is developing especially rapidly. Many global brands have partner production or their own factories in China — among them Volkswagen, Tesla, Toyota, Ford and others.
Analysts of the Institute for Car Market Research analyzed the first registrations of Chinese-made passenger cars in Ukraine in January-June 2025. They took into account both new and used cars, with a clear criterion: the place of assembly had to be the Peopleʼs Republic of China. After all, today many models of Chinese brands are also produced outside of China, while some European or American brands are assembled in China. So the focus of the study is exclusively "made in China", regardless of the logo on the hood. What came from this auto world to Ukraine during the first half of the year?
In the first half of 2025, Ukrainians registered more than 6.3 thousand new and used cars of Chinese production. The highest figure was in June: 1447 registrations, of which more than a thousand were new cars. After a slight decline at the turn of the years, demand for "Chinese" cars went up again, and since the beginning of the year there has been a steady increase in interest in models from China. The share of new cars among all registrations exceeds 75%.
First registrations of new cars
Among new cars produced in China, 81% (4,185 out of 5,162) were electric. Gasoline models made up 10.6% (550 cars), and another 3.8% were hybrids (197 cars), which combine gasoline and electric drive. Diesel is extremely rare — only 0.3% (18 cars).
The absolute leader was the BYD brand — 1719 registered cars. Next — Zeekr (860 units) and Honda (838 units), which, although Japanese in origin, actively assembles individual models in China. Also in the top ten are Audi, MG, Volkswagen, Chery, Changan, Denza and Haval. All of these brands have their own production or close cooperation with local enterprises.
The undisputed bestseller among new Chinese-made cars was the BYD Song Plus — this crossover was chosen by a thousand Ukrainian buyers. The reason for its success is a successful combination of modern design, rich equipment, electric or hybrid powertrain, and a more affordable price than European competitors.
Honda e:NS1, Zeekr 7X, Zeekr 001, BYD Sea Lion, as well as Audi Q4, Volkswagen ID.4, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and BYD Yuan are in stable demand. Most of them are electric crossovers that combine efficiency, convenience and modern technologies. As we can see, Ukrainians are increasingly choosing SUVs with "green" traction.
The share of new cars produced in China among all first registrations in January-June 2025 was 1.2%.
First registrations of used cars
In the group of used Chinese cars that first appeared in Ukrainian registers, electric cars accounted for over 85% of the total. Another 11% were gasoline models, 4% were hybrids. Diesels are practically absent (1 car in six months).
The leader among brands is Zeekr with 304 registrations. This confirms the growing popularity of the new premium segment of Chinese EVs. Also in the leaders are BYD, Tesla (from the Shanghai factory), Audi, Volvo, MG, Polestar, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Buick. Most of these cars arrived in Ukraine through the efforts of independent dealers.
Zeekr 001 is the most popular model among used Chinese cars in Ukraine. This electric car with a premium look and a large range has already earned a reputation as the "Chinese Taycan". Also in the top are Zeekr 7X, Polestar 2, MG ZS, Tesla Model 3, BYD Song Plus, Buick Envision, Denza N7, Audi Q4 and Volvo XC60.
Most of them are electric cars with an attractive price, good equipment, and a European "flavor" — this is what attracts Ukrainians who want the most for their money.
The average age in this subgroup is only 2.5 years, so in the context of our secondary market, where the average age is 16 years, these cars can hardly be called truly used.
The share of cars produced in China among the total mass of first registrations of passenger cars with mileage according to the results of the first half of 2025 was 1.7%.
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