China Full Year 2013: Wuling Hongguang and VW Lavida on top

The Wuling Hongguang is the most popular passenger car in China in 2013.

* See the Top 354 All-local models and Top 70 All-brands by clicking on the title! *

* Check out 1980-2013 Historical Data for China here! *

The Chinese new car market breaks a new record in 2013: up 14% year-on-year to become the very first market in the world to top 20 million annual registrations at 21.98 million. Excluding Light Commercial Vehicles, China car sales are up 18% to 17.93 million units. The top of the models ranking is completely reshuffled this year: the Wuling Hongguang, categorised as an LCV in 2012, lands directly in pole position with 448,484 sales, a new annual all-time record for any passenger car sold in China. In fact, the entire podium is at record levels this year. Before 2013, no passenger car had ever managed to sell more than 300,000 annual units in China, and this year they are 3 to sell more than 400,000! The VW Lavida is up 2 spots and a huge 76% on 2012 thanks to the new generation of the model and the addition of a station wagon variant to 433,870 sales and the Ford Focus is up 36% to 403,640 units.

VW Lavida

Leader in 2011, the Buick Excelle is down one rank to #4 and 296,183 sales, while the Chevrolet Sail is down 3 to 276,301 units in 5th place. Excellent performance of the VW Sagitar up 38% to #6 and of the Nissan Sylphy up 94% and 19 spots to #9 and breaking the monthly volume record for a Japanese model twice in November and December. The Haval H6 (rebranded from Great Wall this year) becomes the most popular SUV in the country thanks to sales surging 94% to 217,889 in 12th position, it broke its monthly volume record 6 consecutive times to lift it to 23,746 units in December!

The Haval H6 is the most popular SUV in China in 2013.

For its first full year of sales, the Hyundai Elantra Langdong is up 156% on 2012 to #13 with 206,348 sales, the Emgrand EC7 is up 32% to become the third Chinese model inside the Top 20 at #18 and 193,210 units, thanks to the new model the VW Santana is up 73% to #20, the Hyundai ix35 is up a splendid 12 spots and 35% to #23, while the Kia K3 is up 405% to #29 for its first full year in market and the Great Wall M4 is up 165% to fall a few units shorts of an annual Top 30 finish at #31. There are 5 more Chinese models in this year’s Top 50: the BYD F3 Surui is up 220% to #34, Chery QQ down 16% to #37, Roewe 350 up 52% to #41, Venucia D50/R50 up 162% to #45 and the FAW Xiali N3/N5/N7 down 30% to #50.

The Ford Kuga is the most popular all-new entrant in the 2013 ranking.

14 models sold more than 200,000 units in 2013 vs. 10 in 2012, and 51 sold over 100,000 units vs. 42 last year. There are no less than 58 all-new nameplates making their first appearance in the Chinese market this year. They are led by the Ford Kuga at #53 and 95,891 sales, Honda Crider at #58 and 91,594 but breaking into the Top 10 in December, Ford Ecosport at #87 and 59,680, Citroen C4L at #90 and 57,185 and Peugeot 3008 at #99 and 52,318. Other notable arrivals include the Audi Q3 at #128, Ford Mondeo at #134, Chery E3 at #157, Honda Jade at #161 and Hyundai Mistra at #191 but already above 10,000 monthly sales in December!

Previous post: China December 2013: Honda Crider breaks into Top 10!

One year ago: China Full Year 2012: Ford Focus triumphs

Two years ago: China Full Year 2011: Buick Excelle best-seller after 4 years at #2

Full Year 2013 Top 354 All-models and Top 70 All-brands Ranking Tables below.