A FEW YEARS ago, if you’d told your neighbour you were thinking about buying a Chinese car, you’d probably have got “the look”. You know the one.

A polite nod. A slight pause. Then: “Are they any good?” Fast-forward to 2026 and that question feels very different. New research from DoneDeal Cars shows Chinese brands are no longer fringe players in Ireland. They’re firmly in the conversation — and for a lot of buyers, they’re serious contenders.

Only 3% of people now say they’re unaware of any Chinese car brand. Awareness is widespread. BYD leads at 40%, MG follows at 31%, while Xpeng (18%) and Leapmotor (9%) are beginning to register too.

That’s not experimental territory any more. That’s mainstream. If you want to understand why Chinese brands are gaining traction, the answer is simple: value.

Nearly three-quarters of Irish buyers (72%) believe Chinese manufacturers offer better value in electric vehicles than established European, Japanese or Korean brands. Almost half say they offer “much better value”. And this isn’t just about sticker price. When asked why they’d consider a Chinese car, 35% cited price — but 27% pointed to higher equipment levels. Buyers see strong specification, strong tech and competitive pricing wrapped into one package.

That perception is reflected in what people are actually doing online. In January 2026, Chinese brands accounted for 9% of all electric car ad views on DoneDeal Cars — three times their share in 2022. BYD alone has three models — the Sealion 7, Seal and Dolphin Surf — in the Top 10 most viewed new EVs. Xpeng’s G6 also makes the list.

That’s not idle browsing. That’s real interest. Safety used to be the big unspoken concern. That seems to be shifting.

Six in ten people now believe Chinese cars meet EU safety standards. Only 4% actively disagree. A sizeable 36% are unsure — so there’s still caution — but outright scepticism is low.

When asked to compare Chinese cars with European, Japanese and Korean competitors, 65% say they are either better or about the same. Just 21% think they’re worse.

That’s a remarkable shift in perception in a short period of time.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Resale value is the single biggest barrier.

Four in ten buyers (41%) say concerns about resale value would stop them buying a Chinese car outright. A further 33% say it might. Irish car buyers are practical. We think about what the car will be worth in three, four or five years. It’s not just about the monthly payment — it’s about the exit.

Confidence in long-term reliability is reasonably solid—64% say they are somewhat or very confident—but there is still hesitation. Concerns about long-term support and parts availability sit at 15%. The relative newness of Chinese brands worries 21%. And then there’s the Irish factor: dealers.

A striking 92% of buyers say a strong dealer network and after-sales support are important in their purchasing decision, with 59% describing it as “very important”. In Ireland, relationships matter. Local presence matters. Being able to walk into a showroom and know someone will stand over the car matters.

More than half of respondents (51%) say they plan to buy or change their car within the next 12 months. That’s not distant intent. That’s now. Chinese brands have clearly won the early battle on value and technology, particularly in EVs. They’ve made enormous progress on perception. They’re visible. They’re competitive. They’re increasingly accepted.

But the next phase of growth won’t be won on price alone. Buyers say they want longer warranties of five to seven years. They want proven reliability over time. They want strong Euro NCAP ratings. They want stable resale values. They want independent Irish reviews. And they want solid local dealer networks.

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In short, they want reassurance. And reassurance isn’t built overnight.

What stands out most in this research isn’t resistance. It’s openness. Only 7% of buyers describe their perception of Chinese brands as negative. Thirty-one per cent are neutral. The majority — 61% — are positive. That tells you something important.

Irish buyers aren’t dismissing Chinese cars. They’re evaluating them.

They like the value. They’re warming to the quality. They’re increasingly comfortable with safety standards. But they haven’t yet seen enough long-term evidence to remove all doubt. Trust, particularly in the Irish car market, is built slowly. It’s built through years of reliability, consistent resale performance and strong dealer support.

The door is open. The curiosity is there. Now it’s about whether Chinese brands can turn that curiosity into long-term confidence — and whether, in five years’ time, resale values will be the concern that quietly faded away. That will be the real test.

Would you buy a Chinese car? Let us know in the comments. 

Paddy Comyn is the head of automotive content and communications with DoneDeal Cars. He has been involved in the Irish motor industry for more than 25 years. 

Journal Media Ltd has shareholders in common with DoneDeal Ltd