5 things Saudis love about Chinese cars

At this point, the least we can say about Chinese cars is that they have taken Saudi streets by storm. Just a few years ago, these cars were hardly seen. Now, they’re everywhere! In fact, ten years ago Chinese-made cars were seen as the lesser quality and cheaper alternative to the Japanese, American and European rivals. But times have definitely changed! Nowadays, they’re outselling everyone else simply because Chinese automakers know what their customers want better than others — and that’s what’s driving people in Saudi Arabia to flock to brands like Changan, Geely, Haval, and MG.

👇 Find out what makes Chinese cars so special in Saudi!

What makes Chinese cars so popular in Saudi?

1. The most obvious reason is their incredible prices

The main reason why the popularity of Chinese cars has exploded over the last 10 years is their low prices. Chinese car makers understood early on that their cars needed to be much cheaper than their competitors to break into foreign markets. The cheapest Chinese car in Saudi is Changan Alsvin 2024 and it has a starting price of SAR 44,850.

2. Chinese car prices mean cheaper car insurance

Another huge perk of buying a Chinese car in Saudi is getting cheaper comprehensive car insurance prices. Saeed Al-Bassami, a car industry expert, explains that Chinese-made cars are generally more affordable, and therefore the cost of insuring them is also lower.

As a rule of thumb, the more expensive your car is, the more expensive your car insurance will be. That’s because insurance companies will factor in the potential extra cost to them if you do need to make a claim. So, you could get cheaper car insurance prices by choosing to buy a Chinense car.

Pro tip: Use wakeel to compare car insurance prices in Saudi. You can find the best prices for the two main types of car insurance in Saudi: third-party and comprehensive.

👀 Which Chinese car is best in Saudi Arabia?

According to statistics published on AlMuraba.net, the largest network specialized in car news and follow-up in the Saudi market, the best selling Chinese cars models in Saudi Arabia are:

• Geely emgrand
• MG ZS
• Changan CS
• Geely Coolray
• Haval Jolion

3. They have a lot more features than their rivals

Say what you want about Chinese cars copying other cars, but their base models will come with a lot of standard features that you would usually get on higher trim levels from European or Japanese counterparts. Chinese manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to make their cars more appealing and they have truly nailed their production and pricing models. They make stylish, high-tech cars that also don’t break the bank.

For a fraction of the price you’d pay for another car, you could get a Chinese car with leather seats, a sunroof, a touchscreen, and all sorts of cool high-tech car features.

4. Chinese cars have earned excellent safety ratings

With Chinese cars, you often find a wider range of standard safety features, even in their base models, compared to Japanese, Korean, or American cars, where these features might only be available in higher-trim levels or of you pay extra. Some examples include:

• sensors
• reverse camera
• lane keep assist
• lane departure warning
• forward collision assists with pedestrian detection
• automatic emergency braking
• voice recognition

Most importantly, Chinese car manufacturers have really stepped up their game when it comes to safety ratings Geely, for example, bought Volvo to learn from their safety expertise. This has helped Chinese cars achieve impressive safety ratings from organizations like Global NCAP.

If you still have your doubts about Chinese cars safety, remember that all cars imported to Saudi must also pass SASO’s strict tests before they can enter. So, you could say that driving a Chinese car does not make it any less safe than the much more typical competitors out there!

5. They come with the best deals

We’ve already mentioned that Chinese cars are cheap compared to cars manufactured in other countries, but aside from their affordable prices, they also manage to give buyers more value for their money with their competitive deals. These deals will often include:

• Free car insurance and registration for the first year
• No down payment, 0% interest, and 0% admin fees
• Exteneded warranty from the manufacturer
• Free car maintenance for a number of years
• Free roadside assistance

In short, if you’re looking for a great deal on a new car in Saudi, Chinese dealerships are the place to be!

Thinking about making a Chinese car your next purchase?

It’s honestly a great option to consider, with everything mentioned to love about these Chinese cars being cheap, safe, fun, and reliable. What more can we possibly ask for?

Whatever car you decide to buy, make sure you compare car insurance prices with us! We’ll show you quotes from some of the Saudi’s best car insurance companies. You can compare the policies based on price, cover level, and add-ons. Try wakeel today!