Proof that China now leads the car world: The Chinese car industry showed off in Shanghai, while the rest of the world falls behind | Opinion

The recent Shanghai and New York motor shows demonstrated the increasing gulf between the surging Chinese car industry and the rest of the world.

Reading the (fantastic) coverage from the CarsGuide team on the ground in Shanghai I was blown away by the sheer volume and diversity of what was on display. New utes, plug-in hybrid utes, new sports cars, new SUVs, new plug-in SUVs, new electric cars — the Chinese car industry is leaving no market segment untouched in its effort to become a global leader.

By contrast, the New York show, which I attended, was a more restrained affair. Yes, all the big brands were represented, but it felt like they were there more out of historical obligation rather than genuine excitement. Only Hyundai, Genesis and Subaru made a big splash in New York with global reveals, while the rest simply took the covers off previously launched products under the guise of a ‘North American debut’.

To be fair, the 2024 New York show was bigger than the 2023 event, and it has never really been a premier US show. That honour falls to the Detroit show, once grandly known as the North American International Auto Show, but it has struggled to regain its former glory ever since the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled it for two years.

Even before the pandemic the established major motor shows (Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo) were starting to wane. The European, Japanese and American car industries had seemingly grown tired of investing millions into these showcases and were looking to spend their money elsewhere.

However, as the Shanghai show demonstrates, these motor shows can be used to demonstrate both the success and aspirations of an industry. The breadth and depth of what the Chinese automotive industry is producing in 2025 is remarkable and by having an all-in motor show it demonstrates to the world just how far the industry has come.

Whether you like Chinese cars or not (and it’s clear from the comments on any Chinese-related car story that many people don’t like them) there is no denying that the country’s industry is growing and getting stronger with every year. Just look at the sales of brands like MG, GWM and BYD and you’ll see more and more Australians are being drawn to what the Chinese industry is offering. And looking at what was shown off in Shanghai, it’s a safe bet that this will grow.

@carsguide.com.au Coming to Australia soon? #byd #FangChengBao #Titanium3 #car #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

New brands, sub-brands and spin-offs from existing brands and a plethora of new models, especially utes, marked the 2025 Shanghai show and we’ll soon feel the impact of those new offerings here in Australia.

From New York the only new cars headed our way are Hyundai’s new Palisade, Kia’s K4 hatch and a couple of Subarus. Now, this doesn’t mean it’s the end of the American (or even European and Japanese) car industry, but the gulf between what was on display at these two shows does speak to the closing gap between our past and our future.

@carsguide.com.au Chery has to bring this wacky ute thing to Oz right? #chery #cheryicar #shanghai #ev #car #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au