By Peter Fitch, June 11, 2025
I never thought I’d see this day come, but Toyota’s long-standing dominance in hybrid technology is well and truly over. The Chinese automotive industry has emerged seemingly out of nowhere and, in less than a decade, is outperforming Toyota—not just in hybrid technology, but also in quality and price. And no, this isn’t due to slave wages; rather, it’s the result of advanced manufacturing techniques and greater efficiency. Toyota has simply been unable to respond quickly enough to outcompete its Chinese rivals.
Even Chinese consumers have noticed the shift. Once, they favoured Japanese and European brands as symbols of quality and reliability, excluding Land Rover, of course. But the tide is turning. Chinese buyers are now embracing domestic car brands that are clearly outperforming their foreign counterparts. Established names like Toyota, BMW, and Mercedes are feeling the pressure as their sales decline.
Take the Geely Galaxy A7 sedan, for example. Offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, it targets the Toyota Camry and appeals to those hesitant to make the full switch to electric vehicles. The Galaxy A7 is powered by a 1.5-litre engine paired with an electric motor. While the exact battery capacity hasn’t been disclosed, its claimed electric range of 80 miles suggests a battery size of around 25 kWh.
Geely claims the Galaxy A7 delivers a total driving range of 1,300 miles, indicating that it functions more as a range-extended hybrid than a typical plug-in hybrid. As for the interior, well, if you’ve ever driven a new Toyota, you know their cabins can be underwhelming. In contrast, from the marketing images alone, the Galaxy A7 appears to offer a more premium experience in both design and materials.
In China, the Galaxy A7 is priced at just $13,900—nearly half the cost of a Toyota Camry. If I were a Toyota executive, I’d be thinking it might be time to take early retirement and let a younger generation take the helm. For Toyota in China, the clock is ticking.