China's automotive quality is under pressure as vehicle iteration accelerates, according to the 2026 China Automotive Quality Research (AQR) report released in Beijing on September 16. The report, jointly published by Chezhiwang and Kairui Saisi Consulting, found that complaints received by Chezhiwang reached nearly 180,000 in the first eight months of 2026, a 15.46% increase year-on-year. Quality-related complaints accounted for 77.07% of the total, up 78.86% from the same period last year.
The report highlights that smart cockpits, driver assistance systems, and three-electric systems (battery, motor, and electronic control) have seen the most significant quality declines. Common issues include incorrect recognition and slow response in NOA (navigation on autopilot) functions, inaccurate battery range estimates, and charging failures. These problems are increasingly affecting owner satisfaction and are amplified by opinion leaders who focus on intelligent and three-electric technologies, raising the risk of negative word-of-mouth spreading.
Three-electric systems: the weakest link
A dedicated study on three-electric system quality, also released at the event, found that overall performance has declined slightly, with user complaints slightly decreasing but the number of problems rising. Range-related issues remain the biggest shortcoming. Notably, independent brands still outperform overseas brands in three-electric quality, though the gap has narrowed compared to last year. Among powertrain types, EREVs (range-extender electric vehicles) showed the best quality, while BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) improved but remain relatively weaker.
Consumers are paying more attention to BEV range, and perceptual issues such as inaccurate range display and charging efficiency not matching marketing claims are gradually replacing traditional hardware failures as the core pain points in three-electric quality. The overall industry quality score in the AQR report was 29.14, a 7% increase year-on-year (a lower score indicates better quality), driven primarily by a rise in the number of problems.
Software-related modules and new-car quality timeline
While traditional hardware modules like engines and transmissions continue to improve, software-related modules such as smart cockpits and intelligent driving have declined markedly. In-vehicle infotainment problems are a common pain point for both fuel and new energy vehicles. The average time for a new car to experience its first quality issue has shortened to 7.4 months, with new energy vehicles even shorter. The report identifies three verification blind spots: hardware defect verification, software strategy verification, and manufacturing assembly verification.
To address these challenges, the report proposes seven governance measures, including establishing quality databases and early warning mechanisms in design and development, strengthening second-tier supply chain management, updating verification standards based on extreme weather, adding user-scenario-based experience evaluations in software testing, and introducing joint user-engineer evaluations during trial production and mass production. For public opinion management, it suggests using third-party test results to objectively clarify negative feedback.
According to the three-electric system quality study, the best-performing suppliers in 2026 were Greybo (economy powertrain), Huayu Electric (mid-to-high-end powertrain), and EVE Energy (battery systems). The event also awarded quality performance and quality experience prizes to models across various segments, and recognized four individuals for their contributions to quality innovation, including executives from Nio, SAIC Maxus, FAW, and Seres.
The event, themed 'Fast Iteration, Protect the Bottom Line,' featured speakers including Lu Yao from the State Information Center, who noted that while domestic passenger car demand is under pressure in 2026, new energy vehicle sales continue to expand, with exports of new energy passenger cars reaching 3.36 million units in the first eight months, surpassing traditional fuel vehicle exports. Shi Jianhua from the China EV 100 Forum predicted that new energy vehicles will account for over 40% of global sales by 2030, and China's new energy vehicle sales (including exports) could reach 20 million units in 2026.
