China's massive manufacturing network means its cars offer incredible value for money.
With a £20,000 budget, there are handful of brand-new options, plus a wider choice of nearly new models. So let's check out 10 of the most affordable Chinese cars.
The best new Chinese cars under £20,000
The best used Chinese cars under £20,000
The best new Chinese cars under £20,000
BYD Dolphin Surf
Not only can you get a brand-new car for less than £20,000, you can get a full EV for that money. BYD is one of the world's largest battery makers along with China's biggest-selling carmaker. As a result, it can offer the electric Dolphin Surf for an industry-beating price. Entry-level models get 137 miles of range, making it ideal for local journeys or second-car tasks, while the 200-mile Boost version costs from £22,000. Plus, it doesn't feel like a cheap car, with a fairly stylish cabin and a modern infotainment system.
Shop used BYD cars or read our BYD reviews
Chery Tiggo 4
All the cars on this list are great value, but the Chery Tiggo 4 might be the biggest deal here. This is a brand-new small family SUV with a long equipment list and a self-charging-hybrid engine, all for under £20,000. That's many thousands of pounds cheaper than any western, Japanese or Korean alternative, all backed with the reassurance of Chery's seven-year factory warranty. The driving experience and user interface might lack the final layer of polish you get from traditional brands but, at this price, few drivers will truly care.
Browse used Chery cars or read our Chery reviews
Leapmotor T03
The Leapmotor T03 is an EV competing against tiny city cars. As a result, entry-level prices are actually closer to £15,000, making this an astonishingly cheap way to get a new car. You'll have to accept a few compromises to passenger and cargo space, but the T03 is otherwise very easy to get on with. There's lots of standard kit including rear parking sensors, an infotainment system and a panoramic glass sunroof. The 165-mile range is very competitive for this class, but means the car is still best suited to urban driving or second-car duties.
Search used Leapmotor cars or read our Leapmotor reviews
MG3 Hybrid+
You can actually get an entry-level MG3 for less than £18,000 at the time of writing. However, with our £20,000 budget, you can upgrade to the car's 'Hybrid+' self-charging hybrid setup. This pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a battery and electric motor for a total of 194hp – a strong figure for such a small car. On top of the zippy acceleration, this setup means you should comfortably average more than 50mpg without really trying. Like other MGs, cabin space is decent and standard equipment is generous, plus there's MG's seven-year warranty.
See used MG3 cars or read our MG3 review
The best used Chinese cars under £20,000
MG HS
If you take your £20,000 budget and start shopping nearly new cars, you'll find there's a lot more choice available. For example, you could jump from the MG3 to one of the brand's largest models – the HS family SUV. For the price, this is an enormous five-seat people mover, with space for tall adults to stretch out in both rows. There's also enough cargo space to carry a positively portly pooch. You'll have the remainder of MG's seven-year warranty on nearly new versions, plus the option of smooth self-charging and plug-in-hybrid engines.
Shop used MG HS cars or read our MG HS review
Chery Tiggo 7
The Tiggo 4 above represents remarkable value for money, but focusing your £20,000 on the used market opens you up to the much more practical Chery Tiggo 7. This is still a two-row, five-seat SUV, but it has a much larger body than the Tiggo 4, unlocking more room for each individual passenger. As you'd expect, it also bumps up the cargo space, so it's less of a hassle trying to squeeze a pushchair or heavy suitcase into the boot. You'll probably be looking at basic 1.6-litre petrol models at this price, while the pricier 1.5-litre hybrid is a bit quicker and more economical.
Check out used Chery cars or read our Chery Tiggo 7 review
MG4
The MG4 was one of the first cars from this revived British marque – now owned by China's SAIC – that could truly go toe-to-toe with rivals from traditional brands. Its EV-only rear-wheel-drive platform handles impressively well, while riding with the kind of sophisticated grace to handle crusty UK roads. As you'd expect by this stage, the MG4's on-paper specs immediately puts models from familiar brands to shame, with noticeably more range, performance and standard equipment for the price.
Browse used MG4 cars or read our MG4 review
Omoda 5
Omoda is a sub-brand belonging to Chery. That means it takes the same sensible petrol, hybrid and electric platforms as its parent company, but dresses them up in a sleeker, sportier package. This is obvious if you look at the Omoda 5's bodywork, which is a collection of slashes, sweeps and dramatic angles, all headed by the broad integrated front grille. The interior is similarly flashy, with a plethora of fairly upmarket materials and all the latest infotainment technology you'd expect.
See used Omoda cars or read our Omoda reviews
BYD Atto 2
The BYD Atto 2 is positioned below the Atto 3 as its name suggests, but we reckon the Atto 2 is the better car. Its handling, comfort and styling is all better resolved than the larger Atto 3, and there's not much practicality penalty for picking the smaller model. BYD has recently launched a plug-in-hybrid version, which might be more flexible for the average buyer. However, our £20,000 budget will currently only buy one of the early fully electric versions, which should achieve a little over 200 miles on a full charge.
Search used BYD cars or read our BYD Atto 2 review
MG ZS
We've already established that you can get the super-practical MG HS for less than £20,000. However, if you don't need all that space and want something that's easier to drive in tight city streets, check out the MG ZS. This is a small family SUV, so there's still space for adults in both rows and a useful boot, but it's contained within a smaller footprint, making it less challenging to weave into narrow parking spaces. The excellent 1.5-litre self-charging-hybrid engine makes it easy and smooth to drive in stop-start traffic.
View used MG ZS cars or read our MG reviews
Learn more about Chinese cars
Find out about the new Chinese brands entering the UK market. For more choices, check out our picks for the best Chinese alternatives to mainstream cars.
