Shanghai auto show: How China is shaking up the motoring world

News.com.au

30-04-2025

Calling the Shanghai Auto Show massive is understating it.
The biennial exhibition is an enormous undertaking, with thousands of vehicles on show across 75 football fields worth of interior space, and millions of visitors from home and abroad attending the festivities.
There were undertones of the global uncertainty facing China's exports, but also an overwhelming confidence in the country's abilities and capabilities as speeches from car company executives sang the praises of the nation's engineering and manufacturing heartbeat.
Some of the biggest Chinese export brands showcased important new products, including Chery with its new – and vital for Australia – Himla pick-up truck, which showed up alongside dozens of other models from the company's catalogue of sub-brands.
GWM – the business behind the Haval, Tank and Cannon brands – debuted a new high-power petrol 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which will be employed in a number of different models with efficient plug-in hybrid tech forming the backbone of the powertrain.
HUGE NEWS FOR AUSSIE DRIVERS
In great news for Aussie customers, the local team from GWM have stated their intent to offer the V8 as and when possible, and it is expected to show up in the Tank 700 large off-road SUV, possibly alongside a new turbo-diesel engine with a bigger capacity than the existing 2.4L in the Cannon Alpha ute and Tank 300 SUV.
Hybrids were a big theme for GWM, with executives confirming that all future models from Haval will be four-wheel drive, with a petrol at the front and electric motor at the back. Some will be standard HEV models without a plug, while others will offer big EV driving range – in excess of 200km, in certain applications.

Meanwhile MG showcased a couple of imminent models, such as the MG 7 – a Camry-sized sedan – and the replacement for the ZS EV, which is going to be called S5 in our market. The Britain-via-Shanghai brand also debuted a boxy new concept model called Cyber X, which presages an off-road-focused SUV, but we don't expect the '90s-esque pop-up headlights to make it to production.
BYD's stand included a number of locally-relevant models as well, such as the updated BYD Atto 3, the smaller Atto 2 (or Yuan Up) which is expected later in 2025, and another related electrified product called Sealion 5, which – unsurprisingly – will slot in under the Sealion 6.
Geely's Australian offering may be one model at this point in time – the budget-friendly EX5 electric SUV – but it was clear at the show that the new Galaxy Cruiser model could hit our market to take on the Toyota Prado in a matter of time. No diesel here, though, as that big boxy SUV is a fully electric one.
Some of the household-name car brands had big spaces allocated to them, including Volkswagen and Audi. In fact, Audi had two spaces; the 'four-ring' space, and the 'four-letter' area, where the new AUDI E5 electric model debuted (it's a collaboration for Chinese buyers with MG Motor).
And while tensions between China and the US continue to bubble, Cadillac and Ford both had big stands with dozens of vehicles, that latter including a market-specific re-do of the Ranger ute (which was developed by Ford Australia!), and even a high-performance American-made Mustang GTD with a banner alongside it stating 'don't let tariffs steal your dreams'.
Intriguingly, the Ford stand was on the opposite side of the hallway to Xioami, which builds the electric SU7 sedan … the car that Blue Oval boss Jim Farley drives, and famously said he 'doesn't want to give up'.
UTES A HUGE DRAWCARD
Utes were a big topic on the floor as well, with GAC showing off the Pickup 01 concept, which looked like it was picked up from an alien invasion movie set, while two Hunters were on hand – the Changan Hunter (with a face that would look at home on a Peugeot) and the JAC T9 Hunter plug-in hybrid, which had already shown up at the Melbourne Motor Show last month.
The obsession with off-road-style boxy SUVs was pervasive, with almost every single stand showcasing a high-riding, edgy looking vehicle.

Some were edgier than others, with Dongfeng's offering appearing particularly aggressive, and BAIC's BJ model line-up using a car-sized cookie cutter mould to shape its range.
Other impressive showings included Nio's expansive range of electric cars and SUVs, but it was the ET5T wagon that stood out most. Nearby to it was the Firefly display, with a quirky compact and affordable EV hatch offering a distinctly different appeal than all the other blob-like sedans and SUVs.
Nio's Blue Sky Lab division was one of the most intriguing 'shops' at the show, with repurposed airbags, interior trims and seat belts used to make books, luggage and even high-fashion clothes.
Meanwhile, Changan-Deepal's luxury offshoot Avatar had a host of Royal Edition models on display, with some of the most opulent and arguably impractical carpet finishes and screen-laden interior designs on show.
Chery's sub-brand iCar (to be known as iCaur outside China) displayed a heap of colourful takes on the tiny electric boxy SUV theme, but the showstopping mini dual-cab pick-up was arguably the most intriguing of the lot.
And in the weird and wonderful corner(s!), there were a number of tiny little electric vehicles that had been dolled up with furry finishes and cutesy accoutrements.
Wuling had an example of the Mini EV that was finished in a dog get-up, while MG's premium EV brand iM had a sedan that thought it was a cat. Bestune's Pony mini-car – an EV with 220km of range for just $4500AUD – also deserved a nod, if only for its odd curtains and paint.
It was weird, it was wonderful, and it had a bit of everything … apart from all the brands that were missing, like Tesla and plenty of others.
Not that anyone would notice. The sheer scale of this show is unlike anything else – except the Beijing Auto Show, which is on in 2026.