Changan is a new name for UK buyers, but the company itself has been around for a long time. It’s one of China’s biggest car manufacturers, and it has had a research and development centre in Britain for more than 15 years. That makes its UK arrival feel different from a brand appearing here with no local background at all.

In the UK, Changan is starting with electric SUVs sold under the Changan Deepal name. That puts the brand straight into one of the busiest parts of the market, with buyers already able to choose from established European brands, Tesla and several newer Chinese names. Changan’s job is to persuade people that it’s worth looking beyond a badge they already know. We are likely to see another line of cars under the Changan Avatr name in the next year or two as well.

The early appeal is likely to be fairly practical. Changan is aiming at buyers who want a roomy, well-equipped electric SUV at a competitive price, rather than relying on brand history or badge appeal. For some people, that will be enough to get the cars onto the shortlist. Others will want to see how the dealer network, software, resale values and long-term ownership experience develop over the next few years.

Changan is still at the start of its UK story, but it’s clearly not arriving as a short-term experiment. This page brings together all of our Changan coverage in one place, including Expert Ratings, reviews, news and feature articles, so you can keep track of how the brand develops in the UK.