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Jetour, one of the fastest-rising Chinese SUV makers, has chosen the UAE for the overseas premiere of its G700 hybrid SUV in November, a move that highlights both the region’s policy-driven openness and its growing weight as a stage for overseas debuts. 

By placing technology at the center of its identity, Jetour is positioning its lineup to address Gulf consumer habits as well as national ambitions. 

The result is not just a sales milestone, but an indicator of how the Gulf’s mobility landscape is being redefined.

Gulf drivers are known for sophistication — balancing family needs, lifestyle choices and weekend adventures. Families prioritize space, comfort and safety for long distances. Younger professionals look for digital cockpits, seamless connectivity and distinctive design. Off-road enthusiasts want capable, reliable four-wheel-drive systems that transition cleanly from city roads to sand. 

Chinese brands, including Jetour, have gained traction precisely because they align with these segmented expectations. 

The appeal is less about headline pricing and more about whether a vehicle matches how people actually live and drive across the Gulf.

Over the past five years, Chinese automakers have steadily climbed GCC rankings. 

In the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, Jetour has broken into the top SUV charts — a sign of growing consumer confidence. 

Recognition from major awards, such as ����ֱ��’s National Auto Award for “Best Midsize SUV,” has further strengthened credibility among buyers who may be testing these brands for the first time.

With both peer validation and institutional recognition increasing, Gulf buyers are showing greater willingness to embrace new players. 

Technology is increasingly seen as the decisive frontier. Hybrid systems, advanced driver-assistance and features adapted to both desert extremes and dense urban roads, have become differentiators. 

Jetour’s forthcoming G700 hybrid SUV, set for a UAE debut, illustrates how newer players are placing technology, safety and sustainability at the center of their strategy. 

The direction of travel is clear: efficiency must come without sacrificing usable power, software must be intuitive, and capability must be proven in heat, sand and traffic — not just on paper.

For policymakers, these innovations are more than incremental upgrades. They are tools to meet climate commitments and support economic diversification, from energy transition targets to knowledge-economy goals.

For consumers, they translate into vehicles that feel modern without feeling experimental — cars that deliver the right mix of range, comfort and capability for day-to-day Gulf realities.

The Gulf’s auto market is no longer defined solely by traditional players.

The rise of Chinese SUVs illustrates a wider transformation — one that blends evolving consumer lifestyles, government sustainability targets and new global supply dynamics. 

Jetour’s growth is just one case, but it tells a larger story: how a new generation of automakers is moving from being seen as outsiders to becoming integral to the region’s mobility future.

That future is unlikely to be shaped by a single technology or brand. Instead, it will be built around ecosystems in which vehicles serve as connected, intelligent nodes within smarter cities and cleaner energy systems. 

In such a setting, the winners will be those who align products with policy, pair software with sturdiness, and treat the Gulf not as a peripheral market but as a proving ground. 

On all three counts, the momentum behind Jetour and the broader wave of Chinese SUVs suggests that the competitive order is still being written — and that Gulf consumers will have more credible choices than ever as they chart the road ahead.

Riyadh has a new way of getting around — inDrive, the world’s second most downloaded ride-hailing app, has officially launched in the Saudi capital. The rollout follows its successful Jeddah debut earlier this year, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion across the Kingdom.

What sets inDrive apart from other ride-hail apps is that it puts passengers and drivers in control, allowing them to agree on a fair price before every trip. No hidden fees, no fixed rates, just a transparent exchange that gives both sides the power to decide.

This peer-to-peer model is where inDrive breaks the mold. Riders propose their price, and drivers can accept, decline, or suggest a different fare. The result is ride pricing shaped by real people who understand the route, not an algorithm that surges pricing. 

For drivers, the benefits go further. inDrive’s commission fee is two to three times lower than the industry average, and during the launch phase in the Kingdom, inDrive is waiving commission fees entirely. Drivers get to take home more of what they make from the very start.

Fairness with inDrive goes beyond pricing. Safety remains at the core of its service, with driver verification, live ride tracking, and a 24/7 support system for every journey. Riders and drivers both benefit from these features, securing each trip from A to B.

The Riyadh launch is one of inDrive’s defining milestones for 2025. People in Jeddah are already regularly using the app to get around, driving platform growth by 250 percent month-over-month in Q3 of 2025.

Globally, inDrive has been downloaded more than 360 million times and now operates in 982 cities across 48 countries. This expanding presence perfectly positions the company to play an active role in advancing ����ֱ��’s Vision 2030 goals for mobility and innovation.

inDrive is shaking up ride-hailing in ����ֱ��, and that’s just the start. By rethinking how drivers and riders set fares, the company is introducing fairness and transparency into a market that has long operated the same way around the world. 

Mobility is just the first step. At Riyadh’s Money 20/20, inDrive’s leadership shared how its vision for digital ecosystems is expanding into fintech, delivery, advertising, and more, while also advancing initiatives in education, sustainability, culture, and gender equality. The ambition is bold: to positively impact the lives of 1 billion people by 2030, starting with every ride on the streets of Riyadh. 

What’s rolling out on the streets of Riyadh is a signal that inDrive is ready to bring more clarity, choice, and control to every service it can provide.