China 8 months 2013: Discover the Top 326 All-models ranking!

The Kia K3 is now the best-performing all-new model so far in 2013.

* See the Top 326 All-models ranking by clicking on the title! *

As is now the tradition on BSCB,  after going through the monthly sales charts and focusing on the all-new models entering the ranking, we explore the year-to-date figures to try and extract longer-term trends. As a reminder the overall Chinese market is still on track to achieve a record year, the first one above 20 million annual vehicles actually, when you include commercial vehicles.. And you would think such a big market would display a very stable models ranking. Think again. The Top 10 (and the rest of the ranking even more) is completely reshuffled when compared with the same stage last year. Only #9 one year ago, the VW Lavida is now by far the most popular Passenger Car in the country thanks to sales more than doubling year-on-year (+109%) to 291,894, the highest sales result after 8 months of any model in the history of Passenger Cars in China… Note this figure includes the Gran Lavida.

Sales of Nissan Sylphy are up 72% this year in China.

In 2nd place whereas it was only 5th one year ago, the Ford Focus is up 62% to 249,576 units while the Buick Excelle, best-seller overall at the same time last year, is down two spots to #3 because of sales up only 1% to 192,772. The other two spectacular progressions in the Top 10 are delivered by the VW Sagitar (Chinese for the current gen Jetta) up 68% and 13 ranks to #4 and 185,963 sales and the Nissan Sylphy up 72% and 18 spots to #9 at 148,491 units. The Chevrolet Sail and VW Jetta are both down 3 to #5 and #6 and the VW Passat and Bora down one to #7 and #8 while the Chevrolet Cruze is down 6 to #10.

Buick Excelle XT

Just outside the Top 10, notice the Buick Excelle XT/GT (a Chinese current gen Opel Astra) up 23% to #11. For a long time the best performing newcomer, the Hyundai Elantra Langdong celebrates one year since its Chinese launch and is now therefore up 1074% to #12. Great result for the Great Wall Haval H6 up 150% and 40 spots to #15 at 128,754 sales, the most popular local ahead of the Emgrand EC7 up 42% and 13 ranks to #19. The VW Polo displays impressive health, up 40% and 13 spots to #31 while the VW Santana is already enjoying the benefits of its new generation, up 41% and 15 ranks to #22 and the Hyundai ix35 is up a fantastic 79% and 24 spots to #25.

Hyundai Santa Fe

This month the Kia K3 becomes the best performing of all 50 newcomers in the ranking and the only one inside the Top 30 at #28 with 89,285 units sold, above the BYD F3 Surui at #35 and 80,195 sales, the Ford Kuga at #60 and 55,598 units, ChangAn Honor at #65, Hyundai Santa Fe at #68 and ChangAn CS35 at #73.

Zotye Z300

Other interesting evolutions include the Great Wall Haval M4 up 379% to #32 and shaping up to be an incredible success, now #5 local just below the Great Wall Voleex C30 and Chery QQ… The Chevrolet Malibu is up 214% to #44, Venucia R50/D50 up 209% to #52, ChangAn Eado up 231% to #62, GAC Trumpchi GS5 up 374% to #80 and the Zotye Z300 up 526% to #92.

Citroen C-Quatre

Now onto a few well known models. The Audi A6L passes the 100,000 units milestone after just 8 months but is down 3 spots to #24 while the BMW 5 Series L is up a very satisfying 34% and 15 spots to #30, the Audi A4L up 18% to #34, the BMW 3 Series L up a huge 137% to #76 and the Mercedes C-Class up 21% to #134. The Skoda Octavia is down 12% to #33, Citroen C-Quatre (aka C4) up 3% to #40, Peugeot 308 up 35% to #61 in spite of its ‘old’ age and the Fiat Viaggio down to #136 (it was #125 last month).

Previous month: China 7 months 2013: Discover the Top 321 All-models ranking!

One year ago:  China 8 months 2012: Hyundai Verna best performer in Top 10

Full 8 months 2013 Top 326 All-models Ranking Table below.