Chinese car brands: resale values and dealer risks

Why Chinese brands lose value faster

Chinese brands tend to lose value faster for reasons that come from the market rather than the cars.

1. Aggressive new-car pricing. Discounts, launch offers and price cuts on new cars reset what a used one is worth overnight.
2. Fast model changes. Updates arrive quickly, so a two-year-old car can already look a generation behind.
3. Thin dealer networks. Buyers worry about service, parts and warranty claims in areas without a franchised workshop.
4. Brand uncertainty. Some buyers simply will not consider a brand they do not know, which shrinks your buyer pool.
5. New brands with no used history. Without a track record, nobody knows the right price, so buyers ask for a discount.

Some of these risks are fading. MG has sold in Europe for years and has a recognisable used price curve. BYD has a growing network and local production. For newer brands with only a handful of used cars on the market, assume a longer time to sell.

Are Chinese electric cars hard to sell used?

Chinese electric cars are not hard to sell if the price is right, but they sell to a narrower audience. The buyer is usually price-driven, compares several cars online and asks about battery health and warranty before anything else.

What makes them easier to sell:

• A documented battery state of health. Our EV battery health check guide explains which tests buyers trust.
• Remaining manufacturer warranty. Many Chinese brands offer long warranties on new cars. Check the terms for the second owner and the conditions, such as servicing at an authorised workshop.
• A nearby authorised workshop. Name it in the advert.
• Owned, not leased, battery and full charging equipment. Missing cables cost you a sale and a discount.

What makes them harder: obscure brands, cars imported privately outside the official network (warranty and software updates may not apply), and early models with small batteries.

Do EU tariffs affect used prices of Chinese EVs?

EU tariffs affect used prices only indirectly. The countervailing duties apply to new battery electric cars imported from China, not to used cars that are already registered in the EU and move between member states.

The European Commission imposed definitive duties on 29 October 2024 for five years, on top of the normal 10% import duty. The rates are 17.0% for BYD, 18.8% for Geely, 35.3% for SAIC, 20.7% for other cooperating producers, 7.8% for Tesla and 35.3% for non-cooperating companies.

For dealers this has three effects:

• New prices are higher than they would be, which supports used values of cars already in Europe.
• Brands are changing the mix. The duties cover battery electric cars only, so several Chinese brands have pushed plug-in hybrids and cars built outside China. BYD, for example, exports cars from Thailand and is starting production in Hungary.
• Rules can change. The Commission has said it is open to price undertakings with individual exporters. A deal for one brand could lower new prices and pull used values down.

National incentives matter too. In France, the purchase support for new electric cars now depends on an environmental score that takes the car's production into account, so most China-built models are less attractive to French private buyers than European-built rivals. That shows up in used demand as well.

How should dealers price used Chinese-brand cars?

Dealers should price used Chinese-brand cars from current local listings and work back to a maximum purchase price, with a larger safety margin than for a European equivalent.

1. Ignore the original list price. Chinese brands often sold with large discounts, so the list price says little.
2. Compare like for like in your own country. Same model, battery size, year and mileage. The MG4 table above shows why a German price is no guide to a Portuguese one.
3. Add a time-to-sale buffer. If a European rival sells in 45 days, plan for longer on a less known brand and price that cost in.
4. Check warranty transfer and service history. Missing services can void long warranties.
5. Buy where the car is cheap, sell where it is dear. The gaps between countries are large enough for cross-border trade. Remember VAT treatment and transport; see VAT margin scheme across EU borders.

MyCarDealer calculates the market price of a specific car in your country from current listings and the maximum you can bid after VAT, transport and costs. You can try it with a free valuation.

Which Chinese car brand is best for used stock?

For a used-car dealer, the best Chinese brand is the one your customers already know and can get serviced locally. In most markets that means MG and, increasingly, BYD. Both have enough used cars on sale to give you a reliable price, and buyers recognise the names.

Geely-group brands such as Volvo and Polestar are a separate case. They sell on their European image and are priced accordingly; see our Polestar 2 used guide. Newer brands such as Leapmotor, Omoda, Jaecoo or Xpeng can work as cheap entry stock, but buy them only at a price that leaves room for a slow sale.

Frequently asked questions

Do Chinese cars hold their value in Europe?

They hold value reasonably well against their real transaction prices, but less well than comparable European cars. According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026, a 2022–2024 MG4 was about €8,000 cheaper than a VW ID.3 of the same age in Germany, but only about €3,000 cheaper in the Netherlands.

Which car brands are actually Chinese?

MG (owned by SAIC), BYD, Omoda and Jaecoo (Chery), Leapmotor, Xpeng, Nio and Zeekr are Chinese. Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co and Smart belong to, or are partly owned by, the Chinese Geely group, although many buyers do not see them as Chinese brands.

Who are the Big 4 Chinese automakers?

The four large state-owned carmakers are SAIC, FAW, Dongfeng and Changan. SAIC is the largest and owns MG, the Chinese-owned brand with the biggest used presence in Europe.

Do EU tariffs affect used prices of Chinese EVs?

Only indirectly. The EU countervailing duties of 7.8% to 35.3% apply to new battery electric cars imported from China, not to used cars already registered in the EU. They keep new prices higher, which supports used values, but any change to the duties can move used prices quickly.

Are Chinese electric cars hard to sell used?

Not if they are priced from current local listings and come with a battery health report and a clear warranty position. Expect a narrower, more price-sensitive buyer group than for European brands, and plan for a longer time on the forecourt with lesser-known brands.