Omoda and Jaecoo already sell more cars than Citroën, Nissan or Ford in Spain. And they are very clear that their secret is not in the price

In the first half of 2026, Omoda has sold 13,208 cars according to data from Anfac. Jaecoo has placed 6,590 units on the market. Between both companies there are only six cars on the market (the Omoda 5 and Jaecoo 5 have electric versions) but their numbers are higher than those of Citroën, Ford or Nissan, companies more than established in our country and that have been great bestsellers.

AND Francesco Colonnesevice president of Omoda&Jaecoo Iberia, is very clear about why.

Shot. “This year we will reach close to 40,000 units.” That is the objective they have within Omoda&Jaecoo for our country, according to Colonnese who has expressed his reading of the market in The Country. The numbers, of course, point to this because in the first half of the year they already touched 20,000 units, already close to just under more than 25,000 units with which they closed last year.

The situation of Omoda and Jaecoo is just the certification that three Chinese companies have arrived in Spain to occupy a relevant position in the market. Its cars are the basis of the almost 14,000 units that Ebro has put on the market so far this year. BYD has already registered 22,860 units (double than last year). MG, the leader, is in a technical tie with last year, signing 25,137 units.

And in Europe, which was still resisting Chinese brands, BYD already sells more cars than Citroën.

“They have to get their act together”. The reasons why Colonnese believes that Chinese manufacturers are gaining ground in Spain are very clear:

“European manufacturers have to step up. When someone arrives who raises the level of quality and technology in cars, you have to try to provide the same service; you can’t stay with what you have because, suddenly, you go from being super modern to super old, from technological to analog…”

In his words, the vice president of Omoda&Jaecoo Iberia defends that price is not the only reason why its cars are growing at a devilish rate. “It’s not that the customer buys from us for 3,000 euros less, but because we provide double the electric range. Until the Chinese arrived, until we arrived, (the plug-in hybrids) had 40-50 kilometers of electric range, now they have 150 kilometers.”

a good business. This defense of the plug-in hybrid makes a lot of sense for the company. At this time, Omoda has sneaked in the Omoda 7 and to Omoda 9 among the 10 best-selling cars with this technology in Spain. Cars that, as we told you in these tests (previous links), we liked for their low consumption and high technological load.

Yes, but. Although Colonnese assures that its customers buy them for “the quality of our cars, which have technology everywhere, something that was not common in the sector”, the truth is that Omoda&Jaecoo, like the rest of the Chinese brands (five of the 10 best-selling plug-in hybrids in Spain are Chinese), offer products much cheaper than the competition.

Equal equipment, as we tell in this BYD Seal U testthere is no possible comparison with other models. But part of this advantage in the market comes because Chinese cars with combustion engines, unlike electric cars, do not pay the extra tariffs that were imposed in 2024. They have become, as we already warned, the Trojan horse with which to quickly gain market share.

The times. What is indisputable is that Chinese manufacturers are monetizing investments and arrival in our country in record time. Their cars offer a more technological image that quickly adapts to current customer tastes. That, in a world that advances at a devilish pace, is key because a car has been designed for a decade if we add the development time and the time that this car had to be on the market.

From Chery (owner of Omoda&Jaecoo) they have long defended that That ability to adapt and solve problems is key. Instead of launching a car that is as refined as possible but developed over years, what Chinese manufacturers prefer is to launch a very solvent product and apply subtle changes if necessary in record time.

These very short development times are what are dynamiting the industry and putting traditional manufacturers on the ropes. At Toyota they are clear that they need to be more agile to compete and The Renault Twingo has been designed in China to have it on the market as soon as possible.

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In Xataka | Europe has focused on stopping Chinese electric cars. The real threat is in its cars with combustion engines