This study explores the factors influencing Bahraini consumers’ intentions to buy Chinese-branded passenger vehicles. The research, as illustrated by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), explores elements including product quality perceptions, after-sales support, value perceptions, technological innovations, design appeal, and social factors. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 309 respondents, and the data was analyzed using the method of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings suggest that after-sales services, along with the appeal of technology and design, significantly influence adoption intentions. In contrast, the quality of the product, value perception, and social variables appear to have little impact. The study highlights the essential importance of strong service infrastructure and ongoing product innovation in expanding the consumer base of Chinese automotive brands. These findings offer strategic insights for manufacturers seeking market expansion in Bahrain and for policymakers aiming to align automotive growth with Bahrain’s Vision 2030. Future research can extend this framework to other Gulf markets or explore additional moderating variables. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

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