Last Updated on 2023/10/12
If you ask almost anyone about cars in the Emirates, a picture of a wide highway in the center of Dubai will immediately come to mind. Only Land Cruisers, Rolls-Royces, and Lamborghinis will drive on it. In fact, everything is so and not so at the same time. There is a place here for Chinese cars too.
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UAE residents are increasingly choosing the low-cost and wide functionality of Chinese cars
Surely, despite the fact that the number of Chinese cars has increased significantly in recent years, it is unlikely that they will be able to completely displace the brands we are familiar with. Therefore, contact the rental service with a desire to rent a familiar Nissan UAE or Toyota, we will no doubt be able to do it. However, more and more rental services are now offering various Chinese models for hire.
The popularity of Chinese cars has grown dramatically in the UAE. Some dealers are celebrating record-high sales figures in the first three months of 2023.
The Chinese company MG took fourth place in the ranking of the best-selling car brands in the UAE from January to March. It was overtaken only by Japanese corporations Toyota and Nissan, as well as the Korean brand Hyundai. Buying or renting a Nissan Patrol is extremely popular in this region due to the fact that this is an amazingly hardy vehicle for desert and off-road.
Geely car company has sold more than 1,000 cars in just six weeks after the launch of its showroom in Dubai in May this year. The corporation opened its second car dealership in the Emirate of Sharjah. The launch of the third is planned in Abu Dhabi in 2023.
Many residents of the UAE say that Chinese manufacturers have managed to offer a worthy alternative to well-known brands in terms of price, quality, and environmental friendliness. For example, the BYD Atto 3 electric car is one of the most popular in the UAE market at the moment. The cost of this car is 150 thousand dirhams, while the purchase of a new Mercedes EQE SUV will cost 290 thousand dirhams.
Which models are popular in the UAE
There are no Chinese compacts on the market as such. Among the medium-sized passenger cars are the entire MG model range and the aforementioned J7. Of the compact front-wheel drive crossovers, there are especially many GAC GS3 and JAC S3 Plus. It is funny that competitor cars also have very similar names. Changan CS35 is also consistently found in the stream.
Of the larger crossovers, the new Haval H6 went well. Among the large crossovers, the GAC GS8 stands out in particular. GM Poer pickups have appeared quite recently and are quite rare. Purely utilitarian Wingle pickups, although they did not displace Japanese competitors from the pedestal, are very often found on the streets.
The situation with Chinese electric cars and luxury segments in general is interesting. Tesla’s competitors have not yet found a buyer, but the Hongqi luxury brand has entered the UAE market. The real recognition of the Chinese automotive industry here was that the Dubai police, known for its diverse fleet of all kinds of supercars and SUVs, acquired the Hongqi E-HS9 crossover. He is, by the way, the most popular car from the Chinese premium.
What is the reason for the growth in demand for Chinese cars in the Emirates?
In many ways, the growth of demand for Chinese cars in the Emirates is facilitated by local market features. For example, in the UAE, due to the fact that a huge proportion of the population are expats from other countries, a very large number of cars are rented either for long-term rent or bought on lease by legal entities for their employees. Accordingly, the main task of the car is to comfortably carry passengers for 2-3 years. It is no wonder that more equipped cars at a lower price will be an interesting offer for rental or leasing companies. Some rental offices are already completely changing their fleet to passenger cars from China.
Thus, Chinese automakers are already firmly rooted in the Persian Gulf countries and have not had some kind of incomprehensible curiosity for a long time, and all the figures and news indicate that their share will only grow.
Featured image: source
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