The ‘smell’ things matter for China’s luxury car brand Hongqi

SINGAPORE – One whiff of the plush leather-lined cabin of the lilac-coloured sport utility vehicle (SUV) will tell you exactly where Hongqi sits in the automotive kingdom. The air is better at the top and China’s most prestigious heritage brand, which means “red flag” in Chinese, has landed in Singapore.

The cabin may even be hypoallergenic, given that nothing triggers this writer’s often overactive sinuses after 10 minutes in the show car on display at Singapore Motorshow 2026, which takes place from Jan 8 to 11.

As it turns out, the olfactory delight is no accident.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Jan 8, 2026 at the event held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Mr Liu Jifang, the Chinese brand’s representative for this part of the world, says every Hongqi car goes through extensive development to engineer how the cabin smells.

“This is part of what luxury means for the brand, where we focus on the customer’s needs and comfort,” he adds in Mandarin.

The work to prevent jarring scents in the cabin involves meticulously examining the materials used, from upholstery to adhesives.

Mr Liu is a senior executive with China FAW Group, the state-owned company behind Hongqi. In addition to South-east Asia, he oversees the brand’s operations in Central Asia and Latin America.

Singapore is the first right-hand-drive market in the world for Hongqi, ahead of Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

In the second half of 2026, the United Kingdom, Australia and Malaysia will be added to the list.

Even though Hongqi has been building cars since 1958, well before other Chinese brands, it is a relative latecomer to the export market.

However, Mr Liu says in these overseas markets, Hongqi’s luxury positioning sets it apart from Chinese counterparts that tend to have a more mass-market focus.

Hongqi began to export around the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, starting with European countries such as Denmark and Norway. Then it went on to the Middle East and Central Asia.

In 2025, Latin America was added to the global distribution network, and 2026 marks its foray into right-hand-drive markets.

“While many familiar Chinese brands compete in the mass-market segment, Hongqi is about luxury, told through our brand story, products and premium customer service experience,” says Mr Liu, when asked to describe the positioning.

He adds that the customers in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America appreciate how Hongqi differentiates itself from Chinese brands, which tend to compete more on aggressive pricing in those places.

“Instead of comparing against rivals, we are guided by our customers’ preferences and needs. We listen to their feedback about our products and refine them,” he continues.

Getting Hongqi’s positioning right and also conveying the brand’s history and car-making experience are all crucial to the ability to grow in its export markets, he says.

“Without this knowledge, consumers will regard us as yet another Chinese car brand,” he adds.

Hongqi sits at the pinnacle of Chinese brands in its home market, and its cars have the price tags to match.

The Guoli limousine, which was also previewed at the Singapore Motorshow, was launched in China in 2024 with a price tag of 7.18 million yuan (S$1.32 million). For context, the Zeekr 009 Grand, a luxury four-seater multi-purpose vehicle, retails for 789,000 yuan.

Hongqi also builds the state limousine used by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the country’s other top leaders, adding to the brand’s prestige.

Exporting out of China has meant that Hongqi has to take the legislations, driving conditions and user preferences of foreign locales into consideration.

For example, to cater to the frigid winters in Central Asia, the steering and seat heating systems were beefed up. The advanced driver assistance systems on board were also developed with European consumers and legislations in mind.

Mr Liu says that through customer workshops and feedback from its dealer partners, Hongqi constantly improves its products.

Besides those in the works, it also refines cars that are already delivered to customers through over-the-air updates.

The first Hongqi model for Singapore is the E-HS9, an electric SUV about the size of the long-wheelbase Range Rover. The car is expected to be priced at less than $500,000 when it is officially launched around April. This will put it in the region of the Porsche Cayenne and other luxury European SUVs.

After the E-HS9 arrives, the brand’s portfolio in Singapore will be expanded with several models within the next 12 months or so, says Mr Liu.

Besides fully electric models, Hongqi has petrol hybrids, plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles (EVs), which incorporate a small combustion engine to charge up the EV’s battery to boost range.

Mr Liu says the mix of technologies available allows the brand to offer the ideal solution for consumers. This means that Singapore could see plug-in hybrid Hongqi models in the future, although nothing has been confirmed.

The brand appointed Eurokars Group as its Singapore distributor in 2025. The multi-franchise dealer group, owned by motor industry magnate Karsono Kwee, will house Hongqi in a new dedicated showroom at 19 Leng Kee Road.

The group represents a host of car brands in Singapore, from the mass-market ones like Mazda and MG, to premium names such as BMW and Mini, to the ultra-luxury brands, including McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Pagani.

Mr Collin Teo, chief operating officer of Eurokars Group, tells ST that response from prospects has been very positive since it was

announced

in July 2025 that the Hongqi brand was coming to Singapore. These prospects are experienced consumers who are open to new luxury car options.

Rather than taking the traditional retail route, Mr Teo adds, Eurokars recognises Hongqi’s unique identity and will take a more bespoke luxury approach to build up the brand in Singapore.

“We will focus on delivering a premium luxury experience, from the initial purchase to the aftersales service... to build the brand integrally and sustainably.”