OMODA & JAECOO have wasted no time turning heads in the UK automotive landscape, and now the spotlight has sharpened. The ambitious brand house has been shortlisted for Manufacturer of the Year at the AM Awards 2026, a recognition that feels less like a surprise and more like the inevitable next chapter in a story written at full throttle.
Organised by Automotive Management, the AM Awards celebrate the industry’s brightest ideas and boldest executions. To earn a place among the finalists is to be acknowledged not just for selling cars, but for shaping conversations around innovation, desirability, and customer relevance. In this context, OMODA & JAECOO’s nomination reads like a case study in how to enter a mature market and immediately disrupt its rhythm.
Since OMODA’s UK arrival in August 2024, followed by JAECOO in early 2025, the numbers have climbed with remarkable urgency. More than 66,000 vehicles have found homes across the country, a figure that doesn’t just signal success but hints at a deeper resonance with buyers seeking something fresh. Behind this momentum sits a rapidly expanding retail footprint, now standing at 122 locations and still growing, quietly stitching the brand into the fabric of the UK’s automotive ecosystem.
The product offensive has been equally decisive. OMODA’s range spans the versatile OMODA 5, offered in hybrid, internal combustion and fully electric forms, alongside the larger OMODA 7 and the flagship OMODA 9, both pushing the envelope with advanced Super Hybrid Systems. JAECOO, meanwhile, leans into rugged sophistication with the JAECOO 5 and the increasingly popular JAECOO 7, the latter already earning its own shortlist nod for New Car of the Year. The introduction of the JAECOO 8, available in both six- and seven-seat configurations, adds another layer to a line-up that feels engineered for both urban precision and off-road confidence.
What binds these models together is a clear philosophy. Design is not treated as decoration but as identity, technology is integrated rather than imposed, and sustainability is positioned as a standard rather than a statement. The result is a portfolio that feels cohesive without being predictable, premium without drifting into excess.
Victor Zhang, Managing Director of OMODA & JAECOO UK, frames the nomination as a collective achievement, pointing to the teams behind the scenes who have transformed ambition into tangible progress. His words reflect a brand that is not content with early success, but instead views recognition as fuel for the next phase of growth.
The final verdict will be revealed later this year at the AM Awards ceremony, but even before the envelopes are opened, OMODA & JAECOO have already secured something valuable. They have proven that new entrants can still rewrite the rules, that momentum can be built quickly without sacrificing substance, and that the UK market still has room for a new kind of automotive storyteller.
