Shanghai Auto Show 2025: The most impressive Chinese brands

Hongqi

I always had a thing for the luxury Chinese brand from FAW, arguably the oldest Chinese brand and the one used by Xi Jinping. They didn’t disappoint at the Show. The stand was grandiose and one of the most impressive in the entire Show, with a dedicated area for the ultra premium Golden Sunflower range.

Hongqi H9 PHEV and HS9 PHEV

New models included the HS9 PHEV and H9 PHEV. But what caught my eye was the yet unnamed new off-road 4WD towering over all other vehicles at the stand (see hero picture of this article). The brand is exploring a new segment with this vehicle, and one that is increasingly popular (Yangwang U8 and Zeekr 9X for example). The name will be decided by the public around the world, with the winner getting the car for free. We find the Hongqi signature – a red dash – on various parts of the vehicle including the wheel arches. This 4WD is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4 seconds.

Hongqi Guoyao, part of the Golden Sunflower ultra premium range

Hongqi Golden Sunflower MPV

A dedicated area was reserved to the Golden Sunflower models.