Best car of the year named and it's a Chinese brand beating any American or European manufacturer
Published on Dec 01, 2025 at 7:15 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Dec 01, 2025 at 7:15 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
A Chinese car you might never have heard of has fought off fierce competition to be named the best car of the year.
With 2025 about to draw to a close, Carwow held its annual Car of the Year Awards.
But after test-driving hundreds of cars throughout the year, only one could be crowned the winner.
And this year’s top title was awarded to a Chinese-made vehicle that is available as an ICE or hybrid.
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The Chinese car fought off tough competition to be named car of the year
There are some very interesting things happening in the Chinese automotive industry at the moment, thanks to the likes of BYD, which is gearing up for record sales in 2026, and Dongfeng, which is leading the way in solid-state batteries for EVs.
So it might come as little surprise to learn that it was a car from a Chinese brand that was awarded Carwow’s best car of the year, ahead of anything made by an American or European carmaker.
The Chery Tiggo 8 might not be as well-known as some other Chinese-made vehicles, but the car was deemed ‘almost too good to be true’ by Carwow’s Mat Watson.
High praise indeed.
The Chery Tiggo 8 was first introduced in 2018, with a new-generation model launching this year.
The car is available with either a 1.5-liter turbocharged ICE or hybrid powertrain, the latter of which offers a combined range of around 745 miles.
Inside, the Tiggo 8 offers plenty of space and can carry up to seven people, and comes with a 15.6-inch LCD display, customizable ambient lighting, a surround view camera, and passive entry and start.
The car also features an impressive price tag, costing between £28,545 and £36,545 in the UK, around $37,800 and $48,400.
Ford CEO has previously warned it needs to keep up with Chinese carmakers
As well as scooping up best car of the year awards, Chinese-built cars are dominating many overseas markets from Europe to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
And with most US carmakers agreeing that Chinese cars will land in the American market at some point in the future, Ford CEO Jim Farley has warned that Ford has no future if it can’t compete with Chinese EV makers.
“Seventy percent of all electric vehicles are made in China,” he said back in August.
“We are in a global competition with China…and if we lose this, then we do not have a future at Ford.”
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
