Last checked September 2026.
Reliability is the biggest unknown with any new car brand. Chinese brands have only been sold in the UK in numbers for a few years, so the data is still thin. But the owner surveys that do exist tell a clear story: BYD is improving fast, MG has struggled, and the newest brands are too new to judge.
What the owner surveys say
Driver Power 2026 (Auto Express)
Driver Power is the UK’s biggest car owner satisfaction survey. In the 2026 results, published in June:
- BYD came 16th of 30 manufacturers with 84.69%, a huge leap from last place the year before. It scored 85.14% for reliability.
- MG came 29th of 30 with 81.11%, and was named alongside Dacia as weak on reliability. It scored well only on value.
- Omoda and Jaecoo were not ranked, most likely because too few owners took part.
- For comparison, Mercedes topped the reliability table with 92.42%.
What Car? Reliability Survey
In What Car?’s 2024 survey of nearly 30,000 owners, MG was rated the least reliable of 31 brands at 76.9%, and the MG4 was the least reliable electric car in the survey at 63.8%. What Car? has continued to flag MG’s reliability record in its buying advice.
The newer brands
There is not yet enough survey data for Omoda, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Deepal, XPeng or Zeekr to draw conclusions. Expect them to appear in surveys from 2027 onwards.
What typically goes wrong
Owner reports and reviews point mostly to electronic and software problems rather than mechanical failures:
- Infotainment screens freezing or rebooting.
- Over-sensitive driver-assistance warnings.
- Phone apps and keyless entry playing up.
- Slow parts supply after accidents, which can keep cars off the road for weeks.
Electric cars have far fewer moving parts than petrol cars, so the big mechanical failures, such as gearboxes and timing belts, are rare. The battery is the most expensive part, and it has its own eight-year warranty on every brand.
Why the warranty matters so much
Long warranties are how Chinese brands answer reliability doubts, and they are among the longest on the market: seven years on MG, Omoda, Jaecoo, Chery and Deepal, and six years on BYD with an eight-year, 155,000-mile battery warranty. Keep the car serviced on schedule to protect it; see our servicing costs guide.
How to buy a reliable Chinese car
- Choose an established model. Cars that have been on sale for a few years have had their early problems fixed.
- Favour the brands with better records. BYD’s recent survey results are much stronger than MG’s.
- Check for recalls on the DVSA website, especially when buying used. For example, the MG3 had a seat recall.
- Check dealer distance. A nearby dealer makes warranty repairs much easier.
- Buy with plenty of warranty left if you are buying used; most transfer to the next owner.
Frequently asked questions
Are Chinese cars reliable?
It varies by brand. BYD scored 85% for reliability in the 2026 Driver Power survey, a big improvement. MG has scored poorly in several surveys. Newer brands do not yet have enough data.
Is MG reliable?
MG was rated the least reliable brand in What Car?’s 2024 survey and came 29th of 30 in Driver Power 2026, although its seven-year warranty offers protection.
Is BYD reliable?
BYD climbed from last to 16th of 30 in Driver Power 2026, with a reliability score of 85.14%.
What goes wrong with Chinese cars?
Most reported problems are with software and electronics, such as infotainment screens and driver-assistance systems, rather than major mechanical faults.