Data platform Carblah has revealed its first ‘Customer Experience Index’, which it says demonstrates the dramatic shift towards Chinese brands in the UK new car market.
Carblah says that it has used a blend of advanced AI and experienced analysts to look at how customers feel about car dealership experiences when getting a new car and out of 54 brands the company has assessed, established brands have struggled massively against new Chinese brands.
The research has found that some brands are being let down by lacklustre dealerships, and that customer expectations have changed significantly in recent years.
In Carblah’s mainstream brands index Dacia is the only non-Chinese brand to make it into the top 10, and the chart is dominated by Omoda, Chery and Jaecoo. Volkswagen, Ford and Mini languish at the bottom of the mainstream list.
There are no Chinese brands in the premium and luxury brand experience rankings, which are topped by Lexus and Rolls-Royce, respectively, though Hyundai’s posh badge Genesis has put in a strong showing to take third place in the premium table.
The lack of Chinese brands at the top of the premium section could change very quickly – BYD is going to launch its Denza brand in the UK shortly, and Geely is preparing to bring Zeekr-badged models to the country too. Independent carmaker Nio is looking to sell its wares in the UK as well.
Carblah cofounder Steve Fowler is a motoring journalist and friend of Electrifying.com who knows what car buyers are after and he says that the Customer Experience Index shows that new Chinese brands are really listening to what people want.
“What this Index shows is simple: customers reward brands that treat them well,” he explained. “Challenger and value-driven brands are winning because they make things clear, fair and easy – and that’s what people want. When new entrants outperform long-established premium names, it’s a sign that the market is finally listening to consumers rather than relying on reputation.”
The latest new car figures for May released by the SMMT have shown a record market share for electric vehicles, and also that Chinese brands have taken a 15% market share in 2026 so far, highlighting the inroads they're making to the UK market.
