Car buyers 'more disloyal to motor brands than ever' as new Chinese makes expand choice, says Google

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Car buyers have turned their back on allegiances to automotive brands and become 'more disloyal than ever', according to a Google strategist.

He claims that Britons are 'searching more than ever' but that brand loyalty has disappeared, especially with the recent emergence of Chinese brands selling cheaper vehicles.

Presenting Google's automotive market trend analysis findings at Car Dealer Live, Google's global partner agency consultant Mohammad Lone revealed that brand loyalty has been dramatically diminishing since 2019.

Lone said that customers are considering choosing from as many as seven manufacturers today compared to just three or four last year.

And the data shows that three quarters of drivers switched to a different marque when changing cars last year because they're being 'convinced by new brands'.

New car registration figures from last year show that Chinese brands represented almost one in 20 new vehicles entering Britain's roads as car buyers are increasingly being swayed by their budget-friendly prices. 

Car buyers have turned their back on allegiances to automotive brands and become 'more disloyal than ever', according to a Google strategist 

Explaining how the new trend for Chinese cars is proving popular, Lone on Wednesday told a Car Dealer Magazine audience at the British Motor Museum: 'Consumers are more disloyal in many ways than ever. 

'They're more open to being convinced by new brands and that's where the Chinese brands – the non-traditional OEM [original equipment manufacturer] brands as well – are really getting traction.'

Last year, Chinese brands sold 94,168 new cars in the UK last year, according to official registration figures.

However, the total market share of Chinese-built vehicles sold in Britain will be even higher when considering mainstream auto firms that have started producing models in the country.

For instance, MG – which is owned by Chinese auto giant SAIC motors – saw more its cars (81,536) sold last year than Vauxhalls (78,895), Skodas (78,601), Peugeots (68,905), Volvos (66,408), Land Rovers (61,290), Renaults (57,967), Teslas (50,334), Minis (46,975), Seats (36,782), Dacias (31,457) and Hondas (30,636).

Relative newcomers BYD and Omoda – who only joined the UK market in 2023 and 2024 - amassed 8,788 and 3,629 sales respectively last year, while Great Wall Motors' Ora brand upped its registrations to 1,162 in the previous 12 months.

Google's data shows that three quarters of drivers switched to a different marque when changing cars last year because they're being 'convinced by new brands'

It's not just that people are branching out with brand searches. 

Google data shows that automotive searches in general increased 13 per cent in 2024.

Lone explained: 'Trends that we have been seeing since 2019 show generic searches constantly rising – so people not necessarily looking for specific brands but asking questions to Google about the overall market.

'They're asking it 'What are the best SUVs?' rather than 'What are the best Vauxhalls or VWs?'.

Google saw a 11 per cent rise in price enquiry searches and around eight per cent in car finance, he explained.

However, YouTube is becoming an even greater tool in the decision making process for car buyers with a 25 per cent year-on-year spike in automotive searches.

Older drivers less open to Chinese cars: Two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over told Auto Trader in a recent study that they are concerned by data security and privacy risks related to Chinese products, including motors 

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Who is open to buying a Chinese-made car? 

Last year saw a 14 per cent surge in sales of models from the four major Chinese makers now available in the UK: BYD, MG, Omoda and Ora.

These made up five per cent of all new cars bought in Britain last year, representing almost 100,000 motors entering the road.

A poll of  out a poll of 3,985 adults earlier this year carried out by Auto Trader to gauge specifically asking their thoughts on Chinese cars found that two in five drivers today would consider purchasing a car built by a Chinese brand.   

The most pro-Chinese buyers were the 17-to-34 age group, with 57 per cent attracted by factors including innovative technology and affordability compared to a quarter of over 55s.

Older drivers are generally a lot less accepting of the idea of driving a Chinese car: two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over are concerned by data security and privacy risks when buying Chinese products, with 43 per cent mistrusting the quality of goods.

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader's commercial director, said: 'Consumers' trust in the quality and safety of these new Chinese entrants remains mixed, particularly among older buyers.

'To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers – through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews and customer service – that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.'