Chinese cars: Swiss: losing skepticism
Chinese car brands are gaining acceptance in Switzerland: a recent study and platform data from Autoscout24 show a change in sentiment. The main drivers of this development are price advantages and technological advances.
Skepticism towards vehicles from China continues to decline in Germany, as a recent study by Autoscout24 shows: The proportion of strict opponents of buying from China has fallen from 43 to 24 percent within eight months. At the same time, demand and supply on the online marketplace autoscout24.ch are increasing. The openness of the Swiss towards Chinese car brands is also growing: 30 percent would consider buying a Chinese car, and 53 percent expect these brands to be part of the normal street scene in five years' time.
Price and technology drive demand
Sixty-nine percent of respondents cited the price-performance ratio as the main reason for the growing interest. According to mobility expert Zheng Han, Professor of Innovation and Strategy at Tongji University in Shanghai and visiting professor at the University of St. Gallen, leading Chinese e-manufacturers benefit from structural advantages: «Thanks to modular platforms, high economies of scale, strong vertical integration and largely controlled supply chains, they achieve cost advantages of around 25 to 30 percent compared to many established competitors, depending on the segment. In addition, these companies develop new vehicles in 18 to 24 months, whereas established manufacturers usually need three to five years,» says Han.
In addition to price, technology also plays an important role: 30 percent see Chinese brands as having an advantage in battery technology and speed of innovation. For 33%, electric and environmentally friendly drives are a key reason to buy. In addition, according to Professor Han, technological competition is increasingly shifting from hardware to software and «AI-defined vehicles». Digital features are becoming a differentiating factor and are increasing the appeal for digitally savvy customers.
This is also reflected in the study: for over a quarter of potential buyers (26%), digital operation in everyday life is already a decisive purchasing argument. The growing interest is also reflected in Autoscout24's usage data. Between September 2025 and March 2026, the search volume for BYD more than tripled for new cars and even quadrupled for used cars. MG was searched for twice as often for new cars.
The number of new car advertisements for Polestar rose by 81 percent, while MG saw a 24 percent increase. The Swedes among the Chinese, Polestar, is the best-known brand among the manufacturers surveyed. Polestar is based and develops its vehicles in Sweden, but belongs to the Chinese Geely Group and builds its cars in China: 50 percent know Polestar at least by name, followed by BYD (42 percent) and MG (32 percent).
Service remains crucial
Despite growing openness, the aftersales area remains central: 82% of potential buyers attach great importance to a reliable dealer and service network. Chinese manufacturers are planning to expand their presence in Europe with local production facilities. According to Professor Han, Swiss garages can position themselves as local service providers for the new brands in order to offer maintenance and service across the board and reliably, thereby building trust.
«Interest in Chinese car brands is increasing in Switzerland - this can be seen in both attitudes and search behavior. It is therefore becoming more important for dealers to position their offers in a targeted manner and reach the right buyers,» says Alberto Sanz de Lama, Managing Director Automotive at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.
