Chinese cars can’t match their European rivals when it comes to engineering

I've been in China most of this week, attending the frankly gargantuan Shanghai Auto Show for a glimpse at the future of our industry – not only domestically, but globally, too. 

Yet before I even set foot in the absurdly huge halls, one thing was clear: like it or loathe it, the Chinese mean business, and the gridlocked roads from Pudong International Airport are undisputed evidence of that. Sitting in the back of my taxi, I was surrounded on all four sides by cars I simply didn’t recognise – not just specific models, but brands and logos that were totally unfamiliar. It was an alien feeling I’ve not felt in my entire adult life.

The six-lane expressway was filled nose to tail with Xiaomis, Hongqis, Onvos and Zeekrs – not to mention my personal favourite, the compact and cute Wuling Bingo. And that’s before you get to those that are already gaining traction in the UK – brands such as MG, BYD and Jaecoo.

The shock and awe continued once I’d navigated the mind-boggling facial recognition tech along with thousands of others at the main entrance for the Shanghai Exhibition Center; the walls reverberating to the sound of US and European journalists muttering: “What on earth is that?”

But it got me thinking: how is this sustainable? And which of these ambitious companies will be here today, but gone tomorrow? I believe we’re at a tipping point – with the transition to electrification representing a step-change not seen in the history of the automobile – whereby people are arguably more accepting of new things than ever before. But why buy a Leapmotor over a Luxeed, or a Dongfeng instead of a Denza? These newcomer Chinese brands lack heritage, and the reassurance it brings to consumers, but they certainly aren’t without their strengths.

The big one is technology. Speak to any European car boss or top-level executive and they’ll (perhaps reluctantly) admit that Chinese are years ahead in terms of batteries and digital technology – not to mention how it’s integrated into the cars. While we may not feel entirely comfortable with our cars knowing more about us than our nearest and dearest do, the advances China is making in the EV and AI spaces is astonishing. 

It’s for this reason that European car makers, with their decades of experience building desirable, high quality and brilliantly engineered cars, need to play on their history and heritage and embrace the success of days gone by. 

Just look at Fiat – the Italian company has been cashing in on the popularity of the ageing 500 for years, and Renault has done a fantastic job more recently with the achingly cool 5 EV. Land Rover and Mercedes, too, with their rugged 4x4s tugging on the heartstrings of buyers all over the world.

But this brand equity runs more than skin deep. While I’ve driven (and enjoyed) plenty of Chinese cars, few offer the same level of engineering excellence – that beautiful blend of ride and handling, plus intuitive, user-centric cabins and clever features – that the very best from the UK and Europe do.

I’m not suggesting we shun the Chinese auto industry. Indeed, we’d be fools to do anything of the sort. But if my recent trip east taught me anything, it’s that we should be proud of what the European manufacturers are capable of. It wasn’t the work of a minute.

Would you pick a Chinese car over its European rival? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...