The Chinese Toyota Corolla rival with sporty performance for under £10,000

With arriving on the UK shores every month, it is all too easy for Brits to think that that we receive every . However, with the producing more cars than anywhere else in the world, there is a shocking number of unique models that are almost exclusively available to buyers in their native market.

This includes the country’s best-seller – the BYD Qin. According to figures from , no fewer than 487,934 examples were sold in China throughout 2024. A conventional-looking four-door saloon, the Qin offers a similar amount of power and space as a or , albeit at a fraction of the price.

With a starting price of 89,900 yuan (£9,595), the BYD Qin comfortably undercuts the cost of the cheapest full-size car sold in the UK, the at £14,200, and is only a little bit more expensive than the much more limited Citroen Ami electric quadricycle, which costs £7,695.

Introduced in March 2021, the latest version of the BYD Qin features a fairly modern appearance, with a large trapezoidal front grille and set of sleek front headlights with chrome trim.

The rear end uses a single-piece rear tail light, spanning the width of the bootlid, and sculpted vents within the bumper that help it to look somewhat similar to the latest Audi A5 executive saloon.

The Qin’s interior is equally modern, if a little undistinctive, with a large floating touchscreen being the centrepiece of the dashboard and a hefty centre console featuring a storage compartment and some tactile buttons.

Despite costing the average Chinese driver less than £10,000, the BYD Qin comes equipped with a fair amount of luxuries as standard. Features include dual-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, keyless entry, and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

The model also features a plug-in hybrid powertrain, featuring a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a single electric motor, which combine to produce 170bhp. Mated with a six-speed gearbox, and the Qin will accelerate from 0-62mph in under six seconds and return an impressive 74mpg.

Unfortunately, BYD UK has not announced any plans to bring the Qin to the UK market, instead putting a larger focus on crossovers and SUVs, such as the Atto 2 and Seal U.

Top 10 best-selling cars of 2024 in China (number sold):

1. BYD Qin – 487,934
2. Tesla Model Y – 480,309
3. BYD Seagull – 453,593
4. BYD Song Plus (Seal U) – 418,474
5. Nissan Sylphy – 342,395
6. Volkswagen Lavida – 322,933
7. BYD Yuan Plus (Atto 3) – 275,223
8. Wuling Hongguang Mini – 261,141
9. BYD Song Pro – 241,598
10. Volkswagen Sagitar – 241,127