XCAR

XCAR (English: XCAR) is one of China’s pioneering automotive social networking and interactive media portals. Established in August 2002 and headquartered in Beijing, the portal is anchored by its core ethos of "browse, buy, love, and enjoy cars", seamlessly integrating automotive editorial content with community features to deliver information exchange and digital marketing solutions for car buyers, owners, and carmakers alike. Renowned for hosting the world's largest automotive-themed community, XCAR is widely recognised across the industry for driving exceptional word-of-mouth engagement among automotive vertical platforms.

Development History

XCAR originated as an online car club community before evolving into the nation's largest online automotive portal in 2004. By 2005, XCAR transitioned from an enthusiast forum into a dedicated automotive vertical media outlet. In July 2006, XCAR completed its merger with CNET Networks, then the world's eighth-largest internet conglomerate, coming under the umbrella of the international media giant. In 2008, following CNET's acquisition, XCAR was integrated into CBSI (CBS Interactive); that same year, it launched the Myxcar platform, pioneering the very first dedicated social networking service (SNS) product among automotive vertical portals.

In January 2016, XCAR completed a management buyout and privatisation from CBSI to resume independent operations. In February 2018, XCAR was acquired by China Grand Automotive Services for RM680,000,000. Subsequently, in August 2021, XCAR inked a strategic partnership with JD Auto.

On the media front, XCAR formed an in-depth strategic alliance in May 2024 with Cheshi Technology (parent firm of Intelligent Electric Mobility and Cheshi.com) to collaborate on automotive editorial journalism and motoring news, aimed at refining user experience and driving web traffic.

Core Offerings and Key Highlights

The automotive-themed community remains XCAR’s core competitive strength. The platform manages an extensive car club network spanning hundreds of cities nationwide. As of 2025 data, its Mini Program user base has surpassed 36.6 million, connecting more than 5,000 car clubs across the country. XCAR delivers comprehensive end-to-end services covering the entire vehicle ownership lifecycle—from researching, shortlisting, and buying to ownership maintenance and selling.

In terms of product innovation, XCAR rolled out a comprehensive community revamp in 2022, introducing the "XCAR Little Blue Book", a feature presenting user content via nine-grid photo layouts and short-form videos. XCAR also introduced the "Billion Creators" initiative (Super Card Video Programme), aiming to groom 10,000 key opinion leaders (KOLs) and influential consumer advocates boasting between 10,000 and 300,000 followers on channels like Douyin, WeChat Channels, and Xiaohongshu, empowering car clubs to scale their reach across emerging high-traffic platforms.

In terms of on-ground events and intellectual property (IP) development, XCAR has organised the annual "XMEETING Car Fans Festival" since 2012, establishing it as a benchmark automotive lifestyle gathering for Chinese car enthusiasts. In 2021, XCAR successfully held the "XCAR Gobi Paradise & Alxa Hero Festival" in the Alxa Desert, combining landmark pop-art installations, motorsport racing, dedicated campsites, and music festivals, drawing a cumulative turnout of over 300,000 visitors. Additionally, XCAR has teamed up with outdoor operators such as Tuju Camping to venture into automotive-driven eco-tourism and glamping experiences.

Competition and Market Challenges

Throughout its journey, XCAR has navigated multiple changes in ownership—transitioning from CNET to CBSI and later to China Grand Automotive Services—which led to several shifts in corporate leadership and strategic focus. In recent years, amid the rapid evolution of automotive digital channels and the aggressive rise of newer platforms like Dongchedi, XCAR’s market standing and industry footprint have faced notable headwinds. Furthermore, the financial strain experienced by its parent company, China Grand Automotive Services, has posed operational challenges for XCAR. Nevertheless, XCAR continues to drive forward its business transformation, actively unlocking fresh growth avenues across automotive media publishing, car club community operations, experiential on-ground IPs, and automotive big-data analytics.