Car expert Paul Maric said Chinese-made vehicles will dominate Aussie roads within a decade, but he issued a warning over which ones to buy. (Source: TikTok/Getty)
A new report has revealed nearly half the cars imported into Australia will be coming from China within a decade. Japan currently leads our automotive imports at 32 per cent, whereas China only has 17 per cent.
But by 2035, the Asian superpower is set to dominate the market with 43 per cent of all imports, and push other automotive powerhouses like Japan, South Korea, and Thailand down massively, according to the Centre for International Economics. CarExpert.com.au founder Paul Maric told Yahoo Finance this trend is set to change how our roads will look.
“You’re going to have some vehicles that have become so expensive that it’s going to force consumers who may have been wedded to these brands to go, ‘Well, I can save $15,000 by getting a Chinese vehicle that’ll do the same thing as my Japanese car,'” he said.
He added that some manufacturers could be forced to lower their prices to compete with this huge influx of Chinese-made cars, which would be a huge win for consumers.
At the moment, a car buyer in Australia can select from 23 different brands made in China, with BYD becoming the most popular.
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Maric recently attended the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition and said there were up to 100 brands that exist in China that haven’t yet made their way to Australia.
“The motor show had eight of these enormous halls, and each hall had a litany of Chinese brands, most of which we’ve never heard of here, and they were jam-packed with people,” he said.
“You then went over to where the European cars were, and it was like a ghost town.”
At least a dozen manufacturers have announced plans or are rumoured to be bringing their vehicles to Aussie roads by the end of the year.
The cars coming from China into Australia will still have to pass all local tests and standards, and they will be sold across the price spectrum of very cheap to very expensive.
While Aussies will soon be spoilt for choice, Maric warned you shouldn’t just look at price.
“There’s going to be a lot of cars to pick from but be careful which car you’re buying, because with so many brands coming to Australia, you might buy something that’s great value today, but that brand may not exist in five or 10 years time,” he said.
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“All of a sudden, you’ve got a car that you can’t sell, a car that you can’t get parts for, and a manufacturer that has just closed up shop and disappeared.
“So while there is a lot of value to be had, I would just tread carefully with what you’re actually buying.”
He said some of these Chinese brands have only been around for a few years and might not have the staying power to remain in Australia. Others might be overwhelmed by the competition here and be forced to pull out due to lack of sales.
This issue was echoed by Australian Automotive Dealer Association chief executive James Voortman.
“If we see brand departures from Australia, like we saw with Holden some time ago, that can only be bad,” he said.
“You won’t have a place to service your car. You won’t have a brand to honour your recall obligations.
“Given that the motor vehicle is generally either the largest or second-largest purchase that a consumer makes, that is a bit concerning.”
Maric explained to Yahoo Finance that in years gone by, Chinese-made cars weren’t viewed very favourably in Australia.
They had to compete against big names like Toyota, Ford, Mazda, and Kia, and the car expert said they also weren’t made very well by comparison. But the tide has turned massively in the last few years.
“We used to have this issue where people would slate Chinese cars and talk about how bad they were,” Maric said.
“Legally, they were unsafe and they weren’t very good in terms of the way that they drove.
The Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition 2025 displayed dozens of Chinese-made vehicle brands that haven’t yet made their way to Australia. (Source: Getty) · HECTOR RETAMAL via Getty Images
“Today, though, it’s a completely different story. They are far better value than anything from Europe.
“They have way more features, and they’re now just as good to drive as a lot of the cars that we’re seeing from Europe and Japan.”
China can also produce vehicles much faster than Europe or the US.
Data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers found US and European manufacturers typically operate on a 200 to 216-week product development cycle.
However, some Chinese manufacturers can complete their cycles in just 120 weeks.
Maric said brands like Subaru, Mitsubishi, and Toyota will likely be “feeling the pinch” of this upcoming competition.
He added that some Chinese brands view Australia as the perfect starting point to export their vehicles. If they do well here, then they could perform in other markets.
This was backed up by BYD boss Wang Chuanfu, who recently told News Corp that “the learnings we gain from Australia help shape our products and approach globally”.
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