What Car Brand Does Xi Jinping Use? A Guide to Hongqi, China's State Limousine Marque

The Short Answer

Xi Jinping uses Hongqi, a Chinese brand whose name means "Red Flag." Hongqi is the luxury marque of FAW Group, a state-owned automaker based in Changchun. Hongqi limousines carry China's top leaders at home and are flown abroad for state visits and summits. Hongqi convertibles are also used when the Chinese leader reviews troops at major military parades.

One qualification matters. The vehicles used by the head of state are not ordinary showroom cars. They are low-volume official limousines and parade vehicles, and their exact security features, armor, and powertrain details are not publicly documented. Reports name models such as the Hongqi N701 limousine and the Hongqi L-series, but detailed specifications for the leader's own vehicles should be treated as unconfirmed.

What Hongqi Is

Hongqi is one of China's oldest passenger-car nameplates. FAW introduced it in 1958, and from the start it was meant to be a national prestige car rather than a mass-market product. For decades, Hongqi sedans and limousines were reserved mainly for senior Communist Party officials, state guests, and ceremonial use. Mao Zedong and later leaders were associated with the brand, which gave it a symbolic role similar to the one that domestic luxury or state-car brands play in other countries.

The brand's output was limited and irregular for much of its history. In recent years FAW has repositioned Hongqi as a broader luxury brand. It now offers sedans, SUVs, and electric vehicles to private buyers in China and some export markets, while still building the hand-finished state cars that made it famous.

Why Chinese Leaders Ride in Hongqi

The choice is political and symbolic as much as practical. A head of state riding in a domestically built car signals confidence in national industry. Many governments use cars from their own country's makers for their leaders when possible.

For a period, many Chinese officials used imported or joint-venture vehicles, with the Audi A6 built by FAW-Volkswagen being especially common in government fleets. During Xi Jinping's leadership, official messaging has emphasized frugality and support for domestic brands in government procurement. This has strengthened Hongqi's role as the expected choice for official transport at the highest level.

The Types of Hongqi Vehicles Associated With Xi Jinping

The Hongqi vehicles linked to the Chinese leader fall into three broad categories, each with a different body configuration and purpose.

State limousine: A long-wheelbase, chauffeur-driven sedan used for official travel in China and transported abroad for diplomatic trips. Media coverage of foreign visits in recent years has identified the Hongqi N701 in this role. Like other heads-of-state cars, it is believed to be armored and equipped for security, but the specifics have not been disclosed. Parade convertible: An open-top Hongqi limousine with an extended rear section. The leader stands in it to review troops during large military parades in Beijing. These vehicles are built for ceremonial use only. Flagship L-series: Hongqi's top-tier L-series limousines, including the L5, represent the brand's highest equipment level. They are associated with official and VIP use and are produced in very small numbers.

Exact model names, model years, and modifications for the vehicles the leader uses on a given occasion are often reported by media from visual identification rather than confirmed by the government. Treat any single model name as the most commonly reported identification, not an official specification.

How State Hongqi Cars Differ From Consumer Hongqi Models

A Hongqi showroom vehicle and the leader's limousine share a badge and a design language, including the brand's upright chrome grille and red vertical accent. Beyond that, they are very different products. The table below compares them by general category.

Aspect | State limousines and parade cars | Consumer Hongqi models; Market segment | Ultra-low-volume official and ceremonial vehicles | Premium and luxury sedans, SUVs, and EVs for private buyers; Body configuration | Long-wheelbase limousines and open parade convertibles | Conventional sedans and SUVs; Equipment level | Bespoke interiors and undisclosed security features | Fixed trim levels with listed equipment; Powertrain options | Not publicly specified | Gasoline, hybrid, and fully electric versions, depending on model and market; Availability | Not offered for public sale | Sold through dealers in China and selected export markets

Consumer models carry names such as the H5 and H9 sedans, the HS-series SUVs, and electric models like the E-HS9. Line-ups, powertrains, and trims vary by model year and by country, so check a specific market's current offerings rather than assuming a global range.

Can You Buy a Hongqi in the United States?

Hongqi does not sell vehicles through an official dealer network in the United States. US regional availability is limited by several factors. These include tariffs on Chinese-built vehicles, federal safety and emissions certification requirements, and US restrictions on vehicles with Chinese-developed connected-car software and hardware.

Outside the US, FAW has been expanding Hongqi exports to markets in the Middle East, parts of Europe, and elsewhere in Asia. The state limousines themselves are not available to private buyers anywhere. Even a consumer flagship model is a different vehicle from the one used for official duties.

How Hongqi Compares With Other Leaders' Cars

Xi Jinping's use of Hongqi fits a wider pattern. The US president travels in a heavily armored Cadillac-badged limousine built on a General Motors truck-based platform. The Russian president has moved to the domestically developed Aurus Senat. In each case the state car is a custom, security-focused vehicle tied to a national brand. It is not something a buyer can order with the same specification.

What makes Hongqi distinct is its long history as a state car and its current dual role. It is both a ceremonial symbol of the Chinese state and a commercial luxury brand competing with established European, Japanese, and Korean premium makers in China's car market.

Key Takeaways

Xi Jinping is driven in Hongqi vehicles, the luxury brand of China's state-owned FAW Group. Hongqi has served as China's official state-car marque since its launch in 1958. The leader's cars are bespoke limousines and parade convertibles whose detailed specifications are not public. Hongqi also sells consumer sedans, SUVs, and EVs, but these differ substantially from the state vehicles. Hongqi vehicles are not officially sold in the United States.