Chinese cars in Saudi Arabia: which brands sell there and since when
Facts checked
Saudi Arabia is the largest new-car market in the Gulf and Chinese brands hold a double-digit share of it without any China-specific trade barrier. Chinese brands sold 47,728 cars in the first half of 2025 for an 11.6% share, 14.2% below the same period of 2024, so the run of uninterrupted growth broke that year. Changan remained the largest Chinese brand at 11,594 units, down 19.2% from 14,359, and MG fell 34.1% to 10,200, while Jetour grew 63.1% and Haval 37.2%. By April 2026 the direction had reversed for all four in a market down 21.9% overall: MG rose 41.5%, Haval 30.7%, Jetour 29.7% and Changan 22.4%.
The line-up is broad and distributor-led. Changan is distributed by Changan Almajdouie, which opened its 31st Saudi branch in Al Kharj. BYD arrived late relative to its Gulf neighbours: its first Saudi store — a combined showroom, discovery centre and service centre in the Al Ghader district of Riyadh — opened on 29 May 2024 under Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company, with the Han, Seal and Atto 3 electric models and the Qin Plus and Song Plus plug-in hybrids, and further showrooms including Jeddah followed. Bestune and Seres are among the other Chinese brands with measurable volume.
The rules are ordinary import rules. Saudi Arabia applies the GCC unified customs tariff; VAT was introduced at 5% on 1 January 2018 and raised to 15% on 1 July 2020, which is the larger of the two levies on a car by some distance. No Chinese carmaker has announced a Saudi vehicle assembly plant in the sources checked for this record; the vehicle plants announced in the Kingdom belong to non-Chinese makers.
At a glance
| Country code | SA |
|---|---|
| Region | Middle East |
| Market status | Open |
| Brands recorded | 7 |
| Chinese-owned plants | 0 |
| Models on this site | 2 |
Brands sold in Saudi Arabia
| Brand | Status | Since | Route to market | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 长安Changan | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Largest Chinese brand in Saudi Arabia by volume in H1 2025 at 11,594 units, down 19.2% year on year; distributed by Changan Almajdouie. |
| 名爵MG | Sold | not published | An independent importer | 10,200 units in H1 2025, down 34.1%; up 41.5% in April 2026. |
| 捷途Jetour | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Sales up 63.1% in H1 2025 and 29.7% in April 2026. |
| 哈弗Haval | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Sales up 37.2% in H1 2025 and 30.7% in April 2026. |
| 奔腾Bestune | Sold | not published | An independent importer | |
| 赛力斯Seres | Sold | not published | An independent importer | |
| 比亚迪BYD | Sold | May 2024 | An independent importer | First Saudi showroom, discovery centre and service centre opened 29 May 2024 in the Al Ghader district of Riyadh by Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company; Jeddah and further sites followed. |
The rules
Stated from the document that issued them, with the date each was read. Nothing here is an interpretation.
| Rule | What it says | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty | Saudi Arabia applies the GCC unified customs tariff to imported vehicles. PwC's Saudi summary records that tariff rates can be as high as 25% where protection is granted to locally produced goods, and does not state a separate rate for motor vehicles; the general GCC rate applied to passenger cars is 5% of CIF value, the same rate PwC records for the UAE. Re-check the exact heading against ZATCA's tariff schedule before publication. | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries | |
| VAT | VAT was introduced at 5% on 1 January 2018. Effective 1 July 2020 the standard rate was increased to 15%. | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries | |
| No China-specific measure found | Chinese-origin cars are taxed on the same terms as any other import — the GCC tariff plus VAT. No additional duty, quota or licensing requirement aimed at Chinese-origin vehicles appears in the customs and tax sources checked for this record. This is a negative finding from those sources, not a statement from a Saudi authority that no such measure exists. | PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries |
Models recorded in Saudi Arabia
| Model | Body | Status | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetour Jetour T2 | SUV | Sold | 100 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| Tank Tank 300 | SUV | Sold | 115 km NEDC |
Best sellers
| Model | Brand | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Changan | Changan | 2025 | Brand-level figure: the largest-selling Chinese brand in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2025 with 11,594 units, down 19.2% from 14,359 in H1 2024. |
| MG | MG | 2025 | Brand-level figure: second-largest Chinese brand in H1 2025 with 10,200 units, down 34.1%. |
Chinese cars in Saudi Arabia: questions people ask
- Which Chinese car brand sells most in Saudi Arabia?
- Changan, which sold 11,594 cars in the first half of 2025, ahead of MG on 10,200. Jetour and Haval were the fastest-growing of the large Chinese brands in the same period.
- What share of the Saudi car market is Chinese?
- Chinese brands took 11.6% of Saudi new-car sales in the first half of 2025, on 47,728 units. That was 14.2% below the same period of 2024, the first such fall after several years of growth.
- Is BYD sold in Saudi Arabia?
- Yes. BYD's first Saudi showroom opened in the Al Ghader district of Riyadh on 29 May 2024 under Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company, with the Han, Seal and Atto 3 and the Qin Plus and Song Plus plug-in hybrids.
- What tax is on a car imported into Saudi Arabia?
- Cars clear under the GCC unified customs tariff and then carry 15% VAT, which has been the standard rate since 1 July 2020. There is no additional duty aimed at Chinese-origin vehicles.
- Does any Chinese carmaker build cars in Saudi Arabia?
- Not in the sources checked for this page. The vehicle assembly plants announced in the Kingdom belong to non-Chinese manufacturers; Chinese brands sell through import and distribution agreements.
What changed
The only dated surface on this page. It records status changes, not news.
-
In a Saudi market down 21.9% year on year, MG rises 41.5%, Haval 30.7%, Jetour 29.7% and Changan 22.4%.
-
First-half 2025: Chinese brands sell 47,728 cars for an 11.6% share, down 14.2% year on year — Changan and MG both fall while Jetour and Haval grow.
-
BYD opens its first showroom in Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh, with Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company.
-
Saudi Arabia raises the standard VAT rate from 5% to 15%, which applies to new-car purchases.
Related
Sources for Saudi Arabia
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Saudi Arabia — Corporate — Other taxes. Read . VAT 5% from 1 January 2018, 15% from 1 July 2020; customs rates up to 25% where protection is granted. Does not state a vehicle-specific rate.
- CnEVPost, BYD's 1st showroom in Saudi Arabia opens. Read .
- Sayara Bay, Chinese Car Market in KSA 2025: Sales Trends, Leaders and Surprises. Read . H1 2025 Chinese-brand volume, share and per-brand figures. Read from the search index extract; the underlying registration data are not attributed on the page.
- ArabWheels, Saudi Car Sales Drop 21.9% in April 2026 as Chinese Brands Gain Ground. Read . April 2026 per-brand growth rates. Read from the search index extract.
- BYD Saudi Arabia, New Electric Mobility Landmark In The Heart Of Riyadh. Read . Brand's own record of its Saudi showroom network.
- Changan Almajdouie press release, via Zawya, Changan Almajdouie continues its expansion in Saudi Arabia with the opening of its 31st branch in Al Kharj. Read . Changan's Saudi distributor.