The Chinese have invaded in terms of their automotive offerings as the UK is being flooded with cheap Chinese-made models - they seem to be everywhere these days, and this is just the start.
Unlike most manufacturers who rent space on ships to move their products, the Chinese have built an entire fleet of ships just for this purpose. Huge vessels, purpose-built with ramps and internal storage, and when they dock, no staff are required as the cars drive themselves off the ship into their assigned parking spots. No one could say that the Chinese are not well organised and highly efficient, but what about these cars - are they any good?
Before we get into that, we should look at the bigger picture and why the US government, and more day by day, have banned their staff from driving Chinese-built cars. And if there is one in the family, those same staff are banned from plugging their phone into the car. Why is this?
A leaked story a few months back might indicate the reason. A group of automotive engineers took a new Chinese EV into a warehouse and, over three days, stripped it down to every individual nut and bolt. What they found were eight parts that have no use in the car whatsoever and have never been found in cars before. They are all electrical parts, and despite weeks of research, they could not come to a conclusion about what the parts were, why they were there, nor what they did.
Suggestions range from bombs to blow the car up on demand, parts to stop the car on demand, and parts that will automatically make the car crash - but that’s social media for you. However, it is worrying and the US government is not telling us something!
Now the UK government has banned all Chinese EVs from all military sites and warned staff not to have official conversations in them as they are concerned that everything is being recorded - so much so, that even to park them, they must be at least two miles away from the military site!
Anyway, the point is, are they any good? So let’s have a look at the What Car? survey of the best ones out there. I have driven many of them, but do not review EVs anymore as I find them dull, with little to say, as a golf cart is a golf cart, with little to separate them. As you might have read, l cannot deal with the range anxiety, the totally unreliable charging network and the costs that are rising to the heights of petrol, mile for mile.
1 MG HS
Strengths
• Cheap yet very well equipped
• Plush interior for the price
• PHEV has an impressive electric range
Weaknesses
• MG’s poor reliability record
• Non-PHEV’s performance is disappointing
• Compromised visibility at junctions
2 Smart #3
Strengths
• Good to drive
• Smart interior
• Great safety rating
Weaknesses
• Slightly choppy low-speed ride
• Small boot
• Rivals can travel further on a charge
3 Smart #1
Strengths
• Great to drive
• Plush, high-quality interior
• Great safety rating
Weaknesses
• Small boot
• Slightly choppy low-speed ride
• Efficiency could be better
4 BYD Dolphin Surf
Strengths
• Keenly priced
• Bigger-battery versions have a respectable range
• Well equipped
Weaknesses
• Heavy predicted depreciation
• Feeble range of entry-level Active version
• No Euro NCAP safety rating at the time of writing
5 MG IM6
Strengths
• Long official range
• Spacious interior
• Very comfortable and quiet
Weaknesses
• Distracting screen-based controls
• Not as fun to drive as a Tesla Model Y
• Real-world efficiency isn’t great
6 MG IM5
Strengths
• Extremely fast charging
• Smart interior
• Official range of up to 441 miles
Weaknesses
• High floor limits rear seat comfort
• Smaller boot than Model 3
• Windscreen pillars hamper visibility
7 MG4
Strengths
• Incredibly well priced
• Competitive range between charges
• Long warranty
Weaknesses
• Bad reliability record
• Slightly unsettled ride
• Infotainment system is fiddly
8 BYD Seal
Strengths
• High-quality interior
• Lots of standard equipment
• Mostly comfortable
Weaknesses
• Road noise on coarse surfaces
• Rear seats could be more supportive
• Slower charging rate than rivals
9 MG S5 EV
Strengths
• Eager performance from the Long Range version
• Standard Range SE gets you lots of space for the money
• User-friendly controls
Weaknesses
• Choppy high-speed ride
• Range-topper’s price edges close to better rivals
• MG has a poor reliability record
10 BYD Sealion 7
Strengths
• Quiet on the move
• Spacious in the back
• Very well equipped
Weaknesses
• Unsettled ride at times
• Rivals can go further on a charge
• Pricey PCP finance
This all sounds rather jolly and might tempt you, but remember: the very low prices don’t come only from ripping off everyone else’s technology; they also have to indicate poor wear and tear. Therefore, if you really want a Chinese car, lease it and don’t buy it, or you might be in for a shackle when you come to sell it. Oh, and according to the US and UK governments, don’t have private conversations on it, knowing that all your data will allegedly be hoovered up and fast-tracked to Beijing.
