Chinese cars used to be life-threatening, are they safe now?

Chinese car

There are so many new Chinese brands coming to Europe in a short period of time that we sometimes have a hard time keeping up. Aiways, Hongqi, NIO, BYD, MG, Xpeng, Wey and Seres are just a few examples, but many more brands from China are eager to cross over to our continent. But are Chinese cars safe?

Bad reputation

When it comes to Chinese cars, some Dutch people will immediately think of the Jiangling Landwind X6. This Chinese SUV entered the market in 2005 and proved so unsafe that the ANWB wanted to ban the car in Europe. A crash test showed that occupants would not survive a collision over 64 kilometers.

Are cars from China safe?

But the Chinese auto industry has clearly not stood still over the past two decades. This is evident from the results of recent Euro NCAP crash tests. Many Chinese newcomers achieve the maximum score of 5-stars and sometimes outperform European models in the same segment. Cars such as the NIO ET7, Lynk & Co 01, MG ZS EV, ORA Funky Cat, WEY Coffee 01 and BYD Atto 3 are extremely safe cars, according to the independent safety institute. Even models we have never heard of – such as the Chery OMODA5 and Maxus MIFA 9 – receive the highest attainable score of five stars from the crash test organization.

Volvo

So if you care about the safety of yourself and those around you, you can buy a car from China with confidence. In fact, chances are you have been driving a car from China for years, as many European car brands have factories in the country. In fact, Volvo was the first brand to have cars roll off the assembly line in China. And if there is one brand known for its high level of safety….

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