Kuala Lumpur, 21 May 2025 – A new automotive study by CARMA reveals that Chinese car brands are gaining media confidence worldwide, with limited outright scepticism. An analysis of 12,000 global articles by media outlets from Malaysia, the Philippines, and the UAE showcased the highest levels of confidence in Chinese automotive brands.
The media intelligence and research firm found that coverage of Chinese car brands was characterised by low levels of criticism and high proportions of positive sentiment on pricing, innovative technology and reliability.
In particular, Malaysian media outlets were found to demonstrate the second-highest levels of confidence in Chinese car brands, after the Philippines.
Chart 1: Percentage of media Confidence, Ambivalence and Scepticism towards Chinese car brands
The study also found that media outlets in Malaysia demonstrated the highest levels of favourability towards the technology of Chinese car brands.
Malaysian media outlets ranked fourth for publishing positive sentiment on the reliability of Chinese cars.
Chart 2: Sentiment of articles regarding technology and reliability of Chinese Car Brands
BYD in particular is increasingly perceived as an industry innovator. Among articles describing car brands as innovative, BYD earned more than double the volume of other Chinese car brands such as Geely and Xpeng, and outpaced established brands including BMW and Volkswagen.
Chart 3: Comparison of volume of articles positioning Chinese and Established brands as innovative
“Our analysis reveals that Chinese car brands, with BYD as the leader, received positive coverage for their pricing, technology and reliability. This greatly aligns with consumer preferences in a competitive landscape,” commented Sabrina Azmi, Research Solutions Director, CARMA.
“Established brands are quickly adapting by forming technology partnerships and shifting their focus to consumer tech events to maintain their relevance,” she added.
The study noted that BYD was also found to have contributed 41% of all positive coverage on Chinese car brands, and had a higher proportion of positive coverage compared to other Chinese car brands and established brands.
Other findings
Globally, journalists are displaying confidence towards the future of Chinese car brands, with limited outright scepticism.
Technology and innovation were found to be key themes of the articles.
On a global scale, 58% of coverage reported that Chinese car brands were leveraging innovative technology. In comparison, established car brands had a lower rate of 49%.
BMW was a standout car brand with 41% of its coverage focused on innovation. Hong Kong-based lifestyle outlets contributed to this positioning, with titles like Hypebeast HK reviewing several of its models. Additionally, BMW’s emphasis on innovation at CES 2025 helped to strengthen its innovation positioning.
The study also identified other themes and trends such as tariff impacts, technology collaboration, the rise of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs), and the role of social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok in influencing car buyers.
About the study
The study analysed 12,000 media articles from 1 January 2024 to 31 January 2025. Online articles from 15 markets were analysed. These articles featured over 25 Chinese brands and over 30 established brands.
Access the study here: https://carma.com/driving-change-automotive-series/
About CARMA
CARMA is a global media intelligence and market research firm providing insights and research through the monitoring and analysis of earned media, social media and public opinion.
We bring clarity and insight to the complex media landscape through our advanced analytics capabilities and consultancy, helping thousands of organisations make better data-driven decisions.
Our technology provides the most comprehensive monitoring of print, broadcast, online and social media in every continent, across 130+ content partners and 100+ languages.
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