To go "China" or not? That's what it's all about! Especially when it comes to money!
- Dec 3, 2025
- 7 min read
We were not inspired to write this article by advertising, hype or the desire to single someone out. It was a simple fact: car tests that we have done in recent months and thinking about where the automotive world has moved. Whether you like it or not, when comparing today's models in detail, you will come across one thing that everyone has been avoiding for a long time — China has long stopped knocking on our doors. China sat down in the living room, made tea and started looking at the furniture.
Chinese signs on Czech roads
BYD, MG, Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, Dongfeng, Voyah...brands that were almost unknown a few years ago. Today, they can be seen in showrooms all over the country. And what's more important — they're selling massively . We're starting to see them on the roads, and sometimes we even turn around on them. Admit it, how many times have you driven down the highway and thought to yourself, wow, that's cool (interesting, strange - everyone has their own opinion)? And then you drive past, your eyes are glued to the ass of that thing in front of you, you're trying to figure out what the name or letters are on it, so much so that you're threatening everyone around you and then you blurt out....oh man, it's Chinese! And you keep driving.
An invasion that has already taken place
In 2022, there were hundreds of cars a year. In 2024, there will be thousands. BYD is attacking electromobility with price, MG has flooded the mid-range segment, Chery has offered European shapes without European prices, and Omoda and Jaeco have become visible symbols of the "Chinese campaign against Europe."
And it was the creation of these brands that showed us that we must forget about old prejudices , because the reality is simply different. And this is what led us to write this reflection from the perspective of an ordinary mortal, not a petro-holding person, or a person who has been loyal to one brand for 30 years. But simply an ordinary user, who uses a vehicle to move from point A to point B, to take his wife and those screaming brats to Croatia in the summer and to the Beskydy Mountains in the winter, so that he always has peace for those six months. A person who decides what to buy for his existence from the perspective of money and not conviction or unwavering love and desire for a given thing, in this case a car. And we chose to compare the Chery car manufacturer and its "subsidiary" car manufacturer, specifically Omod. There are several reasons, namely the rapidly growing dealer network and, based on interviews, the experience of dealers with the car company's policy.
What exactly is Omoda?
As we have already mentioned, Omoda is a subsidiary of the Chery car manufacturer , which sells over a million cars a year, operates in more than 80 countries and has its own design and security teams in Europe. Even though we asked Uncle Google and all possible AI assistants to find out what is hidden behind the name, we found out that...NOTHING. The comrades in China simply decided that a car would not be a flower, a tree, or a star and went and deliberately created an international brand-name brand. No Chinese garage, but simply a global player.
And this is the strategic expansion of a big player who has calculated that Europe has aged and wants to take the space left by dormant corporations. And the style in which he does it? It is... honestly... fascinating!
A reaction speed that even a German concern wouldn't dare think about out loud
When the first Omoda 5 arrived in Europe, it wasn't bad. But it had its weaknesses. Journalists described a stiffer rear axle, sharp reactions to bumps, and damping that felt "Asian" — that is, less refined on European roads. And now comes the moment that seems like science fiction in the European automotive world. After Chinese technicians with tablets went around European dealerships, took pictures, measured, wrote everything down, and probably sent it to the development team that very evening, something happened that Europe is not used to.
At the beginning of autumn, a completely different car arrived. A facelift, they say. After four months. And it wasn't just a cosmetic facelift in the form of a different seam on the seat and moving the mandatory equipment from the left to the right. It was an intervention in places that Europeans only reach for with a new generation. New silent blocks of the rear axle , redesigned shock absorbers (softer response, different ventilation), modified chassis geometry , changed stabilizer mounting , steering adjustments , significantly better soundproofing of the wheel arches and body. The car began to behave more refined, softer and more European-like - simply different. Is that enough for you?
Now imagine that you would send such criticism to the German concern. The reaction? "That's a characteristic of the model." "The car is fine, the problem is in your expectations." And perhaps even a subtle warning that certain editorial offices "will no longer receive priority test cars." Or even putting the journalist on a blacklist and suspending all bonuses in the case of the dealer. But Omoda is playing a different game. And it's a game that is starting to work.
Security: the myth of dangerous Chinese people is falling apart
Now that we've written about the Omoda 5, let's keep it in mind... sorry, in the keyboard, for comparison with the popular vehicle made in Mladá Boleslav... the Škoda Karoq.
Well, here's another surprise when you look at Euro NCAP. Where we once heard "Chinese? You don't want to see that after an accident", today we see this:
Omoda 5 – 5 stars
Adults: 87%
Children: 87%
Pedestrians/cyclists: 68%
Safety Assist: 88%
Skoda Karoq – 5 stars
Adults: 93%
Children: 79%
Pedestrians/cyclists: 73%
Safety Assist: 58%
Two modern, safe cars. One domestic. The other "foreign". But both five-star.
Technology and operational reality
We will still stick to the comparison of Omoda 5 and Škoda Karoq. Škoda Karoq : larger trunk, lower consumption, traditional and functional ergonomics. Omoda 5 : more powerful engine, above-standard equipment in the base, more modern-looking interior, manufacturer's response faster than anything we know in Europe today.
Service? No problem yet. Parts are coming quickly, the dealer network is growing, Chinese technicians are physically here — and they ask questions. These are not cars that would be sold and disappear. These are cars that want to build a permanent place here. We were very surprised when we talked to the owner of a dealership, who also sells European and Japanese brands, as it is. Parts are not a problem, everything works and in many ways faster than with European brands. Let us use a literal quote that stuck in our memory: "Like them, they really try. They drive, they ask questions, they try to help and satisfy. Dude, if you want, you can easily have a completely different car in 4 months". That in itself really says something.
And now the economy: here's where the bread is broken
Omoda 5 1.6 TGDI Comfort costs around 600–630 thousand CZK , including a seven-year warranty . You can get Basic today for 559 thousand CZK. Škoda Karoq 1.5 TSI DSG in Selection equipment (we do not take promotional equipment) normally costs 750–800 thousand CZK , with a standard two-year warranty. If we were to match the Omoda warranty, it would be another 23 thousand extra and some tens would fall on the equipment if we wanted essentially the same equipped vehicles.
A difference of around 150-200 thousand crowns .. For two cars of the same category, comparable equipment and identical safety. In an era when people count every thousand, this is not a detail. This is a factor that can shake up the entire market. And then, when you start thinking in a broader sense, like maybe choosing a hybrid because we have a socket at home and we drive 30 km back and forth with our children to kindergarten and work, the scissors of economic reality will open up more and more. And we're not talking about technological development again.
So, should I ride in a Chinese car? Or not?
If we had stuck to our prejudices, this article would never have been written. But car tests, comparisons, technical data, and the reality in dealerships have led us to a simple, not entirely pleasant question:
"How much does the logo on the steering wheel actually cost me?"
Because the difference between the Omoda 5 and the Skoda Karoq is not in safety, it is not in usability, and it is not even in the fact that one is a "better car".
The difference is how much one is willing to pay for tradition vs. for value.
And that's why it's time to ask this question out loud...
And what about the conclusion? The time when you chose a car based on what your family, neighbor or TV commercial told you is over. Today, the world of cars is changing faster than the price list of electricity. Brands that you pronounced with a grin yesterday are now standing next to European icons and have exactly the same data on the table. And sometimes better. European concerns are always telling how "this is how it should be", "this is how we designed it" and "wait for changes until the facelift in 2028". Meanwhile, a car that four months ago was jumping like a goat, and now is as calm as a two-ton vase, arrives from the other side of the planet. With a chassis redesigned faster than most brands can agree on a meeting date.
It doesn't matter if you're a fan of Skoda, Hyundai, Toyota or, by mistake, Tesla. At some point, you'll have to come to terms with a simple thing: not only European traditions, but also Chinese appetite and self-confidence have long since taken root on the road . And we, as customers, stand between them. So yes, you can continue to say that "you don't trust the Chinese." Just as you can say that "everything used to be better." But a few test drives, a few comparisons, and an honest look into your wallet are all it takes — and you'll suddenly realize that it's not about where the car came from. It's about what it really gives you for your money.
And then there's nothing left to do but ask yourself the last question that burns the most in this debate:
"And am I not the one who doesn't want to change?"
Let us know what you think and whether you would buy a car made in China.
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