Μake us preferred on Google Chinese car brands are no longer the poor relations in Europe. They accounted for just 1% of European sales five years ago, and for the first time over a full quarter, they have overtaken their Japanese rivals in Europe, according to Bloomberg.
According to data from market research firm Dataforce, Chinese-branded vehicles accounted for 12.7% of registrations across Europe in the third quarter of 2026. Their share reached a record 14.5% in September alone. Hybrid vehicles are responsible for much of the growth, which pushed Chinese brands ahead of Japanese carmakers, whose share stood at 11.9%. The focus on hybrids comes as the EU’s tariffs on China-made electric vehicles do not apply to hybrids, including plug-in models.
Volkswagen, Renault and other European manufacturers still hold the top positions, but the pace of China’s gains has surprised much of the industry.
