Imitation In The Fast Lane
Car brands like to brag about originality, but history shows plenty of eyebrow-raising copycat moments. Instead of reinventing the wheel, some companies decided it was easier to peek at the neighbor’s design book and hit “duplicate.” What followed wasn’t clever homage but blatant cloning—grilles, headlights, even whole silhouettes copied like homework. So, here are 20 full-on rip-offs, bold enough to leave you shaking your head.
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1. Great Wall
The Great Wall’s Peri became notorious for looking nearly identical to the Fiat Panda. Everything from the headlights and grille to the tailgate seemed copied straight from Fiat’s compact city car. The similarities were so strong that Fiat pursued legal action in Europe, with courts ruling the resemblance went far beyond simple inspiration.
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2. Landwind
The Landwind X7 earned instant notoriety for its striking resemblance to the Range Rover Evoque. From the sloping roofline to the taillights, the similarities were impossible to overlook. Land Rover responded by pursuing legal action in China, and the X7 gained the nickname “budget Evoque” among local buyers.
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3. Chery
Few cars have sparked as much debate as the Chery QQ, which drew immediate comparisons to the Daewoo Matiz. Its door shapes, window lines, and lights looked almost identical, prompting General Motors—Daewoo’s parent company—to brand it a “copy-paste job.”
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4. Geely
At first glance, the Geely Merrie 300 left many convinced they were looking at a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The sedan’s grille, taillights, and overall profile carried uncanny similarities, while the dashboard echoed older Mercedes interiors.
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5. Zotye
Spotting the Zotye T600 often left people asking if Volkswagen had suddenly lowered its prices. Its resemblance to the Touareg was uncanny, right down to the grille and headlights. Consumers joked it was the “poor man’s Touareg,” and critics accused Zotye of shameless copying.
6. Shuanghuan
The Shuanghuan CEO looked so much like a BMW X5 that it sparked a lawsuit in Germany, with BMW accusing the brand of outright infringement. From the side profile to the rear design, the similarities were undeniable. Shuanghuan, however, proudly marketed it as an affordable alternative.
7. BYD
Pulling up beside a Lexus RX, the BYD S6 could easily fool an untrained eye. The near-identical side windows, rear lights, and grille shapes fueled criticism that it was one of the industry’s boldest clones. BYD brushed it off as inspiration, and despite the ridicule, the SUV went on to become a bestseller in China.
8. Jiangling
Critics didn’t need long to point out that the Jiangling Landwind X9 bore an uncanny resemblance to the Isuzu Rodeo. Its front-end styling looked nearly identical, and even the interior showed clear parallels. On top of that, poor crash safety results left the SUV’s reputation under even greater scrutiny.
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9. Lifan
The Lifan 320 was impossible to separate from the Mini Cooper in the eyes of most car enthusiasts. Rounded headlights and a familiar roofline copied much of Mini’s signature charm, while the grille and side mirrors looked nearly identical. Unsurprisingly, it was nicknamed the “Chinese Mini” and mocked heavily by loyal Mini fans.
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10. Huanghai
The Huanghai Landscape V3 looked so much like Hyundai’s Santa Fe that the similarities were hard to dismiss. Its side profile was almost an exact match, right down to the wheel designs. Hyundai objected, but the model stayed in production, embraced by domestic buyers as a cheaper Santa Fe alternative.
11. Brilliance
When the Brilliance V5 hit the market, many did a double-take—it was practically a BMW X1 in disguise. The resemblance was unmistakable, from the grille to the headlights, and the irony was sharper given Brilliance’s joint venture with BMW. The clone quickly became a public embarrassment.
12. Yema
The Yema T70 made headlines for how closely it mirrored Volkswagen’s Tiguan, with body lines and even the grille layout looking suspiciously similar. Offered at just a fraction of VW’s price, it drew attention not only for affordability but also for sparking debates over how design rights were enforced in China.
13. BAIC
Among China’s most talked-about lookalikes, the BAIC BJ80 stood out for how closely it mirrored the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The squared body and upright stance were unmistakable, while military-style trim pushed the comparison further.
14. Jiangnan
The Jiangnan TT was such a close replica of the old Suzuki Alto that it often left people second-guessing which car they were looking at. Its hatchback design mirrored the original so tightly that confusion was common. By leaning on Suzuki’s dated but dependable platform, Jiangnan managed to create one of the cheapest cars in China.
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15. Hanteng
BMW fans were quick to point out how the Hanteng X7 seemed to shadow the X5 in nearly every detail. Headlights, grille, and overall proportions matched so closely that the automotive press called it a “brazen imitation.” Even the name hinted at luxury, though Hanteng denied copying outright.
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16. Hawtai
The Hawtai Bolgheri SUV drew heavy criticism for imitating the Hyundai Santa Fe, a connection made even more ironic given the brand’s past ties with Hyundai. Its body shape and design lines closely mirrored the original, reinforcing accusations of blatant copycat culture in the auto industry.
17. Foton
Foton’s Sauvana quickly raised eyebrows in the automotive world for its striking likeness to Toyota’s Fortuner SUV. The grille and side design mirrored Toyota’s styling so closely that off-road enthusiasts couldn’t ignore the resemblance. Though Toyota never pursued action, criticism grew as Foton delivered the look at a cheaper price.
18. Soueast
The Soueast DX7 entered the crossover segment with sleek proportions and a stance that drew frequent comparisons to the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Partnering with Pininfarina blurred the originality debate, as its front fascia, side sculpting, and rear profile echoed the GLA.
19. Roewe
Accusations of imitation surrounded the Roewe 550, as its design closely mirrored the Rover 75. Despite Roewe’s purchase of Rover tooling, critics accused the brand of copying. With its grille and cabin steeped in Rover DNA, it epitomized badge and design recycling.
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20. Dongfeng
Dongfeng’s EQ2050, often called the “Chinese Humvee,” left little doubt about its inspiration. Modeled almost identically on the AM General Hummer H1, its body styling and stance made the resemblance unmistakable, cementing its reputation as a direct military clone of America’s iconic off-roader.
