Honda and Its Strange Chinese GTs

Honda Unveils Two Cousin Models in China, the GAC GT and Dongfeng GT. A Completely Unclear Product Strategy.

During Auto Shanghai 2025, Honda unveiled the GAC Honda GT and Dongfeng Honda GT, two flagship electric models of its local Ye series, developed in collaboration with Chinese giants GAC and Dongfeng. An initiative that, on paper, might seem ambitious but, upon closer inspection, raises many questions.

Honda boasts a solid reputation in China, built on decades of reliability and innovation. So why choose to co-sign its models with GAC and Dongfeng, two well-established Chinese manufacturers who, most importantly, are highly comfortable with electric technologies? These giants have no need for the Japanese to control electrification, an area in which they have been innovating for years. This co-branding choice gives the strange impression that Honda is diluting its brand image in a collaboration that brings nothing truly new.

While the GAC GT and Dongfeng GT aspire to be flagship models of the Ye series, their design does not seem to reflect the ambition. Certainly elegant, these “low and wide” sedans lack the character to embody a true vision of the future. Neither bold nor innovative, they struggle to stand out in a Chinese market abundant with futuristic aesthetics and daring proposals.

A Confused and Cluttered Strategy

What is Honda’s real objective? To strengthen its position in China? If so, why not focus on models that fully embody the Honda identity, instead of hiding behind collaborations? The Japanese manufacturer seems to be going against the trend here, where its engineering expertise could be showcased without the need for local partners.

In short, these GT models raise more questions than they answer. Honda seems to be playing a role whose meaning eludes many, risking losing what has been its strength: its uniqueness.

READ ALSO: Isack Hadjar Strolls Around Japan in a Honda Prelude!