Jaecoo, a Chinese car brand that was virtually unknown to British drivers 18 months ago, has achieved something remarkable. The company’s Jaecoo 7 SUV became the best-selling new car in Britain during March, according to registration data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
This marks the first time the model has claimed the top spot in monthly sales.
The Jaecoo 7’s success wasn’t overnight. The SUV has appeared in the UK’s top ten best-sellers since September 2025, but March’s performance was exceptional – 10,064 registrations in a single month, roughly 70 percent ahead of the second-place vehicle.
Year-to-date sales have reached 15,569 units, giving the model a 2.66 percent share of the total UK market in March. That’s a significant achievement for any brand, let alone one that most British consumers had never heard of when it launched.
Private Buyers Drive Success
The sales mix makes these numbers even more impressive. Jaecoo reports that 55 percent of sales came through private retail rather than fleet channels – a ratio that many established manufacturers would find enviable.
Fleet sales often inflate registration numbers but don’t necessarily reflect genuine consumer demand.
Meanwhile, the range-topping plug-in hybrid variant accounted for 85 percent of March registrations. The hybrid uses Jaecoo’s Super Hybrid System and shows how electrified powertrains are now driving mainstream buying decisions rather than just meeting regulatory requirements.
Gary Lan, chief executive of Jaecoo UK, called the result “a landmark moment” for the business. He credited the brand’s 124-strong dealer network and the manufacturing capabilities of parent company Chery Group for allowing Jaecoo to “adapt quickly to UK market needs and grow sustainably.”
Model Range and Pricing
The Jaecoo 7 lineup includes two powertrain options. The base model uses a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine, while the plug-in hybrid combines electric and petrol power for extended range.
The hybrid variant offers up to 745 miles of combined range with 56 miles of electric-only driving capability.
Pricing starts at £29,105 for the petrol version and rises to £35,175 for the plug-in hybrid. All models come with a seven-year warranty.
Jaecoo isn’t stopping with one successful month. The company plans to introduce a pure hybrid version and a Black Luxury Edition of the plug-in variant in May.
Expansion Plans
The larger Jaecoo 8 will also arrive in May. This six- or seven-seat SUV starts at £45,500 and comes exclusively as an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid with more than 700 miles of total range.
The success sends a clear message to established carmakers – Chinese-backed brands can no longer be dismissed as niche players. Whether Jaecoo can maintain its position during typically quieter sales months will be the real test.
But March 2026 will be remembered as the moment a virtually unknown Chinese brand announced itself as a serious competitor in the UK automotive market.
