Comparison
ChinaSAIC Motor Corporation LimitedSince 2005

Roewe – 8 Model Lines & 10 Generations

Roewe inherited British Rover's engineering legacy when Shanghai Automotive acquired the brand in 2005, transforming a dormant nameplate into a credible Chinese premium automaker. They've ditched the rebadge playbook and pivoted aggressively toward electrification, with EVs like the iMAX8 proving their commitment to scaling electric powertrains across sedans and SUVs. What sets them apart is the rare combination of European engineering DNA and Chinese market ambition, built on quality rather than shortcuts.

FoundedOctober 10, 2005SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation)
GroupSAIC Motor Corporation Limited
HeadquartersShanghai, ChinaChina
Models in the Catalog8
Annual production~0.3-0.5 million vehicles

All Roewe Models

8 models from every era — filter by segment or open a model for its generations

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About Roewe

Roewe emerged from the ashes of British Rover. When Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation acquired the brand in 2005, nobody expected what came next. A Chinese automaker inheriting decades of British engineering DNA — that's not your typical story. They didn't just slap a new badge on old designs and call it innovation. Instead, Roewe took those foundations and pushed forward aggressively into the electric future. Shanghai's gamble? Create a premium Chinese brand that could compete globally. Bold move.

Here's what separates Roewe from the pack: they're obsessed with electrification and connected vehicle technology. Their lineup spans sedans and SUVs, but the real focus is EVs — the iMAX8 EV proves they're serious about scaling electric powertrains across multiple segments. Production numbers tell the story — Roewe pushes well over 400,000 units annually across their entire portfolio. That's serious volume in a brutally competitive market. They've invested heavily in battery technology and autonomous driving capabilities, positioning themselves as a tech-forward brand rather than just another mass-market player. Think of them as Shanghai's answer to legacy European automakers trying to survive electrification.

The current roster balances traditional combustion engineering with aggressive EV development. Want sedans? The i5 and Lomemo deliver practical transport with modern tech integration. Prefer SUVs? The RX5, RX5 Plus, RX3, and RX3 Pro cover every segment from compact to mid-size. Going electric? Check out the EV selection for zero-emission alternatives. The D7 rounds out their midsize sedan strategy. Eight models covering everything from entry-level to premium positioning — that's how you build market presence fast.

History

Roewe was born in 2005 when Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) acquired the intellectual property and manufacturing assets of the British Rover Group from BMW. Think about that timing — China's automotive ambitions were exploding, and here was a chance to inherit European engineering heritage overnight. The brand name itself comes from the combination of "Rover" and the Chinese concept of "Wei" (威), meaning power and prestige. Shanghai became headquarters. What SAIC understood, crucially, was that Chinese consumers wanted quality, not just cheap knockoffs. They needed credibility. Buying Rover gave them that instant legitimacy.

Early years were messy. The first models — the 75 and 750 — were essentially rebadged Rovers with Chinese modifications. Not embarrassing, exactly, but not revolutionary either. Customers appreciated the reliability and European lineage. Yet something was missing. The brand felt borrowed, like wearing someone else's suit. Sales climbed steadily through 2007 and 2008, but Roewe wasn't making headlines. Then the global financial crisis hit. Domestic Chinese automakers faced massive pressure. Roewe needed to prove it belonged — that it wasn't just living off borrowed credibility.

The breakthrough came with the RX5 in 2014. Game-changer, absolutely. This wasn't a rebadged anything — it was a genuinely modern SUV built on SAIC's own platform, packed with Chinese-market features competitors hadn't considered. Touch-screen integration. Voice controls optimized for Mandarin. Cloud connectivity before most Western brands offered it. The RX5 sold over 1.5 million units globally. That changed everything. Suddenly Roewe wasn't a heritage brand coasting on Rover's name — it was an innovator understanding what modern Chinese consumers actually wanted. The company's DNA shifted from European custodian to tech-forward domestic manufacturer.

Following that success, Roewe expanded aggressively. The RX3 compact SUV arrived in 2018, targeting younger buyers. The i5 sedan brought style and technology at accessible prices. Each launch refined what Roewe had learned — that Chinese customers valued connectivity, safety features, and emotional design over pure performance specs. The RX5 Plus and D7 solidified the lineup across segments. By 2020, Roewe had become one of China's top-selling domestic brands — not a footnote to Rover's legacy, but a force in its own right.

Today, Roewe is racing toward electrification. The iMAX8 EV and Lomemo represent the company's pivot to battery-electric vehicles and smart technology. You can explore their full electric lineup to see how far they've come. From inheriting British automotive DNA to leading China's EV transition — that's quite a journey. Roewe's future depends on continuing what made the RX5 work: understanding local markets better than anyone else. Not bad for a brand that didn't exist twenty years ago.

Roewe Model Categories

Technical overview of Roewe models

SegmentModelsPerformanceDriveFeatures
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Minivan
Models Performance
245 PS
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Suv 5 doors
Models Performance
125 - 220 PS
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Segment
Sedan
Models Performance
120 - 211 PS
Drive
FWD
Features
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The Roewe Story Isn't Over Yet

The Roewe Story Isn't Over Yet

Roewe started as a British ghost, became a Chinese reality, and now sits at a crossroads most legacy brands never face. Think about that. A nameplate resurrected after decades of silence, given a second life in a market hungry for identity and quality — that's either genius or delusion depending on who you ask. The brand's lineup keeps growing smarter: their SUVs blend practicality with design ambition, while their electric models push toward tomorrow. Will Roewe survive beyond China's borders? That's the million-dollar question. But they're trying. And in automotive history, that's worth watching.

Roewe dealers

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Frequently asked questions about Roewe

How many models does Roewe currently offer?

Roewe's got eight models in the current lineup. That's a decent range. You've got sedans for the practical crowd, a solid collection of SUVs for families, and electric vehicles if you're thinking green. Everything from the compact RX3 to the roomier RX5 Plus. Not a massive lineup, but it covers the bases.

When was Roewe founded?

Here's the interesting part — Roewe launched in 2006, but not from scratch. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation bought the rights to Rover's technology and intellectual property, then created Roewe as the flagship brand to use it. Think of it as inheriting British automotive know-how and combining it with Chinese ambition and manufacturing muscle. That's a pretty unique starting point. Most brands don't get to build on that kind of foundation. The name itself — Roewe — comes from the Chinese name for Rover, so there's a direct line connecting it to that heritage. Smart move, honestly.

What's Roewe's signature technology?

Roewe's pushing hard on smart technology and autonomous features. We're talking cloud-connected systems that let your car communicate with your phone, your home, basically everything. The brand uses what they call "intelligent cabin" technology — think ambient lighting, gesture controls, voice commands that actually work. Not gimmicky stuff. Safety systems are serious too. Advanced driver assistance, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control. They're competing directly with international brands on tech, and honestly, they're not far behind. The RX5 especially showcases this. It's where Roewe proves they understand what modern buyers actually want — connectivity, safety, and systems that don't feel like they're from five years ago.

Does Roewe make electric vehicles?

Absolutely. The iMAX8 EV is their main electric offering right now. It's a family-focused electric vehicle with decent range and practical interior space. Not a stripped-down economy box — it's a proper family hauler that happens to be electric. Roewe's clearly betting on EVs for the future. They're investing in battery tech, charging infrastructure partnerships, and expanding their electric lineup. Given China's push toward electrification and the government incentives, expect more EVs from them soon. It's where the market's heading.

Which Roewe model is the most popular?

The RX5 is the volume leader. No question. It hits that sweet spot — affordable without feeling cheap, spacious enough for families, and loaded with features buyers actually care about. The Chinese market loves SUVs, and the RX5 delivers what people want at a price point that makes sense. It's sold hundreds of thousands of units since launch. The RX5 Plus is the upmarket sibling, offering more luxury and technology for buyers willing to spend a bit more. Both versions do well. That's the formula that works — practical, well-equipped, competitive pricing. Simple as that.

Where is Roewe headquartered?

Shanghai. That's the heart of Roewe. The company's based there under Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation — SAIC — which is basically one of China's automotive powerhouses. Having headquarters in Shanghai matters. It's a major manufacturing hub, the design talent is concentrated there, and it's where the money flows. SAIC owns and operates Roewe as a core brand in their portfolio, competing across multiple market segments. The Shanghai connection also ties back to that British automotive heritage — SAIC acquired Rover technology and built Roewe from there. It's a Chinese brand with international DNA, developed in one of the world's biggest automotive centers. That positioning has worked out pretty well for them.

Source: Roewe Official Website (official), China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), Wikipedia, China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC)·Last updated