Chinese brand MG (part of SAIC Motor) and the Belgian importer Astara have reached an agreement under which MG Europe will import its cars itself as of the first of July. Meanwhile, the second-largest Chinese car brand in Belgium, BYD, is considering doing the same.
The distribution of MG in Belgium and Luxembourg will be organized by a national sales company starting this summer under the wings of MG Europe. Current importer Astara and MG will collaborate to ensure this transition is as smooth as possible. To ensure a stable transfer and limit potential disruptions for clients, the existing dealers will be largely retained in the new distribution scheme.
Fast growth
Imported by Astara since 2020, MG has grown fast in the Belux to become the most important Chinese brand on the market. MG’s portfolio currently includes 9 models, and in 2025, the brand registered almost 6,000 sales, with more than 1.5% market share. In the first 4 months of this year, MG has already sold 2,620 units, a 81% increase compared to last year and representing almost 1.75% of the market.
Astara will now focus on the other brands in its importer portfolio, such as Hyundai, Suzuki, Isuzu, Maxus, and KG Mobility in the first place, but it will surely be on the lookout for new importing opportunities.
New trend?
When new Chinese car manufacturers enter the Belux or European market, they often rely on existing independent European or local car importers. In Belgium, for example, import groups like British Inchcape or Swedish Hedin import Chinese brands such as BYD (Inchcape) or Nio, Firefly, Hongqi, or Xpeng (Hedin).
But as these Chinese brands gain popularity, their European or global headquarters reckon that importing the cars themselves is more profitable than paying others for distribution. The European headquarters of BYD (in the Netherlands) has already decided that the number two Chinese car maker in Belgium will have its own sales organization in the Netherlands and in Germany, pushing aside the local importers Louwman and Hedin.
The same is planned for this country, meaning Inchcape (also the importer of Toyota and Lexus in Belgium and Luxembourg) will lose its importer status but will still sell BYDs through its strategically positioned dealers in Antwerp, Brussels, and Ghent.
The growing impact of Chinese manufacturers in Europe can’t be overestimated. The sales volume of Chinese brands in Belgium doubles practically every year, also because they are selling an increasing number of hybrid (PHEV and others) and ICE cars, which aren’t subject to EU import tariffs on Chinese BEVs.
