Best Chinese EV Reviews on YouTube (2026): Xiaomi SU7, AVATR 06, AITO M5 — English & Russian
The best YouTube reviews of Chinese EVs come from people who test cars for a living: in English, ex-Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond (DriveTribe) and dedicated channels like CarNewsChina; in Russian, Гилевич Сергей, known for sober, marketing-free assessments. The three most-reviewed models right now are the Xiaomi SU7 (673 hp, 800V, LiDAR), the AVATR 06 (Changan · Huawei · CATL, Huawei ADS, 800V) and the AITO M5 (Huawei · Seres, Huawei ADS + LiDAR). Watch these to judge build quality, cabin materials, real range and driving feel — then weigh the prices: €39,100 for the Xiaomi SU7 Max against €64,000 for a BMW i5, or €50,226 for the AITO M5 against €65,000 for a BMW iX3 — the same class for meaningfully less money. Every car here is available from EU stock with 2–7 day delivery, backed by a 3-year / 100,000 km EU warranty plus separate CATL battery coverage, through our trusted partner in Latvia.
The biggest barrier to buying a Chinese electric car usually isn't the price — it's doubt. Is it half-baked? What's the cabin really like? How does it drive, and will it last? The fastest way to settle that is to watch the car tested by people who do this professionally. So we've gathered reviews from top-tier creators with audiences in the hundreds of thousands to millions, in both English and Russian, including the former Top Gear team.
See cars in stock — china-cars.online →→In stock in the EU · 2–7 day delivery · 3-year / 200,000 km EU warranty · CATL batteriesWhich Chinese EV reviewers can you actually trust?
Trust the creators who review cars professionally and on substance — not anonymous channels chasing hype. Here are the names this guide draws on, what they cover, and which models they test.
| Reviewer / channel | Language | Reputation | Models reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Hammond — DriveTribe (ex-Top Gear / The Grand Tour) | English | Mainstream motoring authority, millions of viewers | Xiaomi SU7, Chinese EVs broadly |
| Гилевич Сергей | Russian | Respected for sober, no-marketing breakdowns | Xiaomi SU7, AITO M5 |
| CarNewsChina / Sunday China Drive | English | Dedicated Chinese-auto channel | AVATR 06 and others |
| EU / international testers | English | Short, like-for-like road tests on European roads | Multiple models |
A quick honesty note up front: most of these are newer brands with a shorter EU track record than BMW or Mercedes. That's exactly why the warranty and a real European service network (covered below) matter as much as the YouTube verdict — and why we point you to a partner that provides both.
What are the best Russian-language Chinese EV reviews?
The standout Russian-language reviewer for Chinese EVs is Гилевич Сергей, who tests cars on substance rather than spectacle — build quality, cabin materials, on-road behaviour and real-world range — without the marketing gloss. If you want a sober assessment before you spend money, start here.
Гилевич Сергей
- Xiaomi SU7 — review and test drive — Xiaomi's flagship sedan: 673 hp, 800V architecture, a drag coefficient of just 0.195 and 830 km of CLTC range on a 101 kWh CATL pack.
- Xiaomi SU7 — detailed breakdown — a second look at the same car: where it shines and where it doesn't.
- AITO M5 — Huawei crossover test — an SUV on the Huawei · Seres platform running Huawei's ADS driver-assist with LiDAR.
More Russian-language tests
For a fuller picture, here are more breakdowns from Russian-speaking testers across different models and conditions:
What are the best English-language Chinese EV reviews?
The best English-language Chinese EV reviews come from ex-Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond (DriveTribe), whose verdict on how far China has come carries real mainstream weight, plus dedicated channels like CarNewsChina that test these cars in European conditions. The clips are short — typically 5–10 minutes — and to the point.
Ex-Top Gear: Richard Hammond
The Top Gear / The Grand Tour crew needs no introduction. These days they test Chinese EVs in earnest, and their read on just how far China has come on technology lands with weight precisely because it comes from sceptics, not boosters.
- Richard Hammond / DriveTribe — on Chinese EVs and the Xiaomi SU7 — the take of someone who has, frankly, seen it all.
European and international testers
English-speaking reviewers across Europe and dedicated Chinese-auto channels make short, no-nonsense videos:
- Sunday China Drive / CarNewsChina — AVATR 06 — a crossover on the Changan · Huawei · CATL combination, with 800V and up to 650 km CLTC range from a 72.88 kWh CATL pack.
- Chinese EV test drive (EN) #1
- Chinese EV test drive (EN) #2
- Chinese EV test drive (EN) #3
What 3 things should you actually watch for in a Chinese EV review?
Focus on the three things that decide your money and your peace of mind over the long run — not "supercar acceleration." They are cabin and build quality, the battery, and gadget-grade technology.
- Cabin and build quality. This is exactly where China has leapt forward — materials, screens and ergonomics are often on par with the German premium trio. Reviewers show all of it in close-up, so watch the door cards, the seat stitching and the panel gaps, not just the centre screen.
- The battery. Most of these cars run CATL cells, frequently LFP chemistry (101 kWh in the SU7, ~73 kWh in the AVATR 06). CATL is the world's largest EV-battery maker and also supplies Tesla, BMW and Mercedes — so the single most expensive part of the car has a household-name, traceable origin. LFP packs are also known for long cycle life and tolerance of daily 100% charging.
- Gadget-grade technology. Over-the-air (OTA) updates, driver-assist suites like Huawei ADS (often paired with LiDAR) and head-up displays mean the car keeps improving after you buy it — something the videos return to again and again.
One thing the videos can't show you, yet matters enormously: a 3-year / 100,000 km warranty in the EU, a separate CATL battery warranty and a European service network. You can judge the engineering on YouTube; the peace of mind comes from European support.
See cars in stock — china-cars.online →→In stock in the EU · 2–7 day delivery · 3-year / 200,000 km EU warranty · CATL batteriesHow much do the reviewed Chinese EVs cost vs a BMW, Audi or Mercedes?
The Chinese EVs in these reviews cost meaningfully less than their closest German rivals — €39,100 for the Xiaomi SU7 Max vs €64,000 for a BMW i5, or €35,033 for the Deepal S07 vs €52,000 for a BMW iX3. Below are exact figures: china-cars.online lists prices incl. 21% VAT — the consumer price you actually pay.
| Model | Price incl. VAT | Key tech | Closest German rival(s) | Honest saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi SU7 Max | €39,100 | 673 hp AWD, 830 km CLTC, 101 kWh CATL LFP, 800V, 0–100 in 2.78 s, Cd 0.195, LiDAR | BMW i5 / Audi A6 e-tron / Mercedes EQE (~€64–65k) | €39,100 vs €64,000 (BMW i5) |
| Deepal S07 | €35,033 | 218–258 hp, ~80 kWh CATL LFP, up to 475 km WLTP, HarmonyOS cockpit | BMW iX3 / Audi Q4 e-tron / Mercedes EQB (~€52k) | €35,033 vs €52,000 (BMW iX3) |
| AVATR 06 | €45,330 | Changan · Huawei · CATL, Huawei ADS, 800V, up to 650 km CLTC, 0–100 ~3.5 s | BMW i4 / Audi A6 e-tron (~€55–65k) | €45,330 vs €55,000–€65,000 |
| AITO M5 | €50,226 | Huawei · Seres, Huawei ADS + LiDAR, 602 km CLTC (BEV), EREV ~1,000 km combined | BMW iX3 / Audi Q6 e-tron (~€65k+) | €50,226 vs €65,000–€68,000 |
| Li Auto L6 | €50,226 | EREV up to 1,390 km CLTC, 408 hp AWD, 0–100 in 5.4 s, four-screen cabin, C-NCAP 5★ | BMW X3 / Audi Q5 e-tron (~€65–68k) | €50,226 vs €65,000–€68,000 |
The Deepal S07 is the boldest honest gap on the list: a HarmonyOS-cockpit SUV on a CATL battery at roughly €35,033 incl. VAT, against ~€52k for a BMW iX3, Audi Q4 e-tron or Mercedes EQB.
Quick definitions for the terms reviewers use:
- CATL — the world's largest EV-battery manufacturer (China); also supplies Tesla, BMW and Mercedes.
- LFP — lithium iron phosphate battery chemistry: cobalt-free, long-lived and happy being charged to 100% daily.
- 800V architecture — a high-voltage system that enables much faster DC charging and lighter wiring.
- Huawei ADS — Huawei's Advanced Driving System, a sensor-and-software driver-assistance suite (often paired with LiDAR).
- LiDAR — a laser sensor that builds a precise 3D map around the car for driver assistance.
- EREV — Extended-Range Electric Vehicle: a battery-electric car with a small petrol generator on board that recharges the pack on long trips, removing range anxiety (the Li Auto L6 manages ~1,390 km combined this way).
- CLTC vs WLTP — official range cycles. CLTC (China) reads optimistically; the stricter European WLTP is typically 15–25% lower. When a spec says "830 km CLTC," expect a real-world figure closer to the high-500s/600s km — judge range on the cycle named, not the headline.
Why are Chinese EVs so much cheaper than European ones?
Chinese EVs cost less because of China's manufacturing scale, deep vertical integration and factory-direct selling — not because corners are cut. Chinese makers build their own batteries (CATL), chips and software in-house, iterate on gadget-style development cycles, and fight for share in a brutally competitive home market that keeps margins lean. Selling straight from the factory removes layers of dealer markup. The result is a lower price than a comparable German EV — €39,100 for the Xiaomi SU7 Max vs €64,000 for a BMW i5 — while using the same tier-one battery supplier.
This isn't a fringe trend, either: Chinese brands now hold around 6% of the European market and are growing roughly 10% a year, with forecasts of 15–20% by 2030. The cars in these reviews are the leading edge of that shift, not outliers.
From video to a specific car
You've watched the reviews — now compare the numbers. Every model in the clips above is available from EU stock with 2–7 day delivery:
- Xiaomi SU7 — 673 hp, 800V, 830 km CLTC, from €39,100 incl. VAT.
- AVATR 06 — 800V, up to 650 km CLTC, Huawei ADS, from €45,330 incl. VAT.
- AITO M5 — Huawei ADS + LiDAR, 602 km CLTC (EREV ~1,000 km combined), from €50,226 incl. VAT.
- Deepal S07 — CATL battery, HarmonyOS cockpit, from €35,033 incl. VAT — the boldest honest saving here.
If you need a longer-range or family format, look too at the Li Auto L6 (EREV up to 1,390 km, a top C-NCAP 5-star safety rating) and the range-topping MAEXTRO S800 (Huawei · JAC flagship, 800V).
For the full catalogue and the wider explanation, head to the Chinese EVs page. And for the SU7 numbers head-to-head with its German rivals, read our breakdown: Xiaomi SU7 vs BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chinese EV reviewers can I trust?
On the Russian side, Гилевич Сергей — he reviews cars on substance, without the promotional gloss. On the English side, the former Top Gear / The Grand Tour team (including Richard Hammond on DriveTribe), who now test Chinese EVs regularly, plus dedicated channels such as CarNewsChina that cover the Chinese auto industry in European conditions.
Are Chinese EVs reliable and safe?
The reviews and the hardware both point that way. Most of these cars use CATL batteries — the same world-leading supplier behind Tesla, BMW and Mercedes — frequently in long-lived LFP chemistry, and models like the Li Auto L6 carry a top C-NCAP 5-star crash rating. Through our trusted partner in Latvia they come with a 3-year / 100,000 km EU warranty, a separate CATL battery warranty and access to a European service network. The honest caveat: these are newer brands with a shorter EU history, which is exactly why that warranty and service coverage matter.
Why watch the English-language reviews specifically?
European and international testers assess these cars in conditions close to our own — the same roads, weather and rivals. Their clips are short and to the point: in 5–10 minutes you get the cabin, the acceleration and the on-motorway behaviour.
How much cheaper are these Chinese EVs than a BMW or Mercedes?
The Xiaomi SU7 Max lands around €39,100 incl. VAT versus €64,000 for a BMW i5 or €65,000 for an Audi A6 e-tron or Mercedes EQE — comparable power and range for tens of thousands less. The Deepal S07 widens the gap further: €35,033 versus €52,000 for a BMW iX3.
Is CLTC range the same as what I'll see in Europe?
No — and this is worth knowing before you watch. CLTC is China's optimistic test cycle; Europe's WLTP is stricter and typically reads 15–25% lower. So an "830 km CLTC" SU7 will realistically deliver a real-world figure in the high-500s to 600s km. Always check which cycle a number refers to.
Why are Chinese EVs cheaper if the quality is there?
Because of scale, vertical integration and factory-direct sales. Chinese makers produce their own batteries, chips and software in-house, move on fast gadget-style development cycles, and compete in a brutally contested home market — then sell straight from the factory, cutting out dealer markup. None of that compromises the tier-one CATL battery inside.
Where do I buy the car after watching a review?
Every model in this round-up is available through our trusted partner in Latvia, with EU stock, 2–7 day delivery and a European 3-year / 100,000 km warranty. Open the model page you want on autopase.lv, then move on to current availability.
See the Xiaomi SU7 in stock →→In stock in the EU · 2–7 day delivery · 3-year / 200,000 km EU warranty · CATL batteriesVideo links point to the original creators' YouTube channels. autopase.lv does not own the rights to these clips. Prices and specifications are indicative and reflect 2026 data; site prices are shown incl. 21% VAT. autopase.lv works with a trusted partner in Latvia.