China

China August 2016: Focus on the All-new models

September 18, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China
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Changhe Q35

* See the Top 70 China-made brands and Top 397 models by clicking here *

August showed an extremely dynamic 26% year-on-year gain in China for the second consecutive month. As is the tradition each month, BSCB puts a laser focus on the new China-made nameplates that make their appearance in market to you are on the bleeding edge of knowledge as far as the largest car market in the world is concerned. The August 2016 class is slightly disappointing given the strength of the market with only six new entrants and none above 3.000 sales. For once the sedan/SUV ratio is balance at 3 vs. 3. I give you the all-new models for now, complete analysis will follow shortly.

1. Changhe Q35 (#174 – 2.556 sales)

After the Q25 last March, BAIC continues the revival of the Changhe brand with this Q35 unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show last April and none other than a rebadged BAIC Senova X35.

Kandi Gleagle K17

2. Kandi Gleagle K17 (#243 – 1.002 sales)

Looks familiar? That’s because the Kandi K17 is in fact an electric version of the now-defunct Shanghai Englon SC5… Confusingly, Geely has decided to transform its electric brand Kandi into Gleagle, a brand it killed a couple of years ago. So this vehicle is actually called Gleagle K17A in China…

3. BAW BJ20 (#264 – 807 sales)

Is the BJ20 the best-looking BAW SUV so far? It has a definite air of American Jeep with its six headlights.

4. FAW Junpai A70 (#295 – 479 sales)

The A70 is the second Junpai-branded offering after the D60 small crossover.

5. Hawtai Lusheng E80 (#372 – 30 sales)

The Lusheng E80 is a facelifted E70.

6. Yema E70 (#381 – 17 sales)

The Yema E70 is in fact an electric variant of the T70.

Previous month: China July 2016: Focus on the All-new models

One year ago: China August 2015: Focus on the All-new models

China August 2016: Second consecutive month up 26% – SUVs up 44%

September 16, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

With the Vision SUV, Geely now has three SUVs selling 7.000+ units in August.

* See the Top 70 China-made brands and Top 397 models by clicking on the title *

The Chinese new car market continues on its unabated growth with a second consecutive month at +26% year-on-year to almost 1.795.500 units. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, this jump is due to 1. an unusually slow month a year ago in the wake of a stock market collapse and 2. the continued effect of the tax cut on vehicles with engine sizes of 1,6L or smaller. The tax cut expires at the end of the year, so we are also witnessing a significant forward purchase movement from the Chinese population. SUVs are the engine of growth once again with a 44% year-on-year surge to 654.100 sales, but sedans are also dynamic at +20% to 916.200 units and MPV leap up 36% to 180.400. Sales of microvans continue to plunge at -37% to 44.800 as rural buyers upgrade to MPVs. So far in 2016, light vehicle sales in China are up a splendid 13% to 14.4 million deliveries.

roewe-rx5-china-august-2016-picture-courtesy-auto-sina-com-cn Instant blockbuster: the Roewe RX5 finds 8.539 new buyers in August.

Brand-wise (no imports, no commercials), Volkswagen continues to dominate the charts head and shoulders but doesn’t quite match the market at +19% to 236.489 sales. Buick on the other hand gains 30% to a splendid 103.169 units, ahead of Honda (+20%) once again outselling all other Asian carmakers: Hyundai (+17%), Toyota (+40%) and Nissan (+18%). Changan (+47%) leads the Chinese charge, followed by Haval (+35%), Geely (+64%), Beijing Auto (+59%), Dongfeng (+63%) and Wuling (+4%). Ford leaps up 36%, Kia is up 62%, Mazda up 53% and Cadillac up 127%. In the luxury race, Audi underperforms (+4%) and continues to see its advantage over Mercedes (+22%) and BMW (+17%) thin up. Fiat (-75%), DS (-35%), Peugeot (-21%), Suzuki (-17%) and Citroen (-10%) struggle.

SUV ratio among the Top 25 Chinese carmakers:

Pos	Brand	Aug-16	/15	SUV	SUV %
–	TOTAL MARKET	1,795,500	26%	654,100	36%
1	ChangAn	85,838	47%	36,351	42%
2	Haval	63,983	35%	63,983	100%
3	Geely	53,698	64%	24,722	46%
4	BAIC/BAW	47,828	59%	28,124	59%
5	DongFeng	46,963	63%	23,986	51%
6	Wuling	46,667	4%	0	0%
7	Baojun	44,937	10%	15,112	34%
8	BYD	38,290	53%	18,121	47%
9	Chery	33,765	21%	13,831	41%
10	GAC	30,019	88%	26,708	89%
11	Roewe	20,812	192%	8,737	42%
12	Zotye	20,354	63%	19,454	96%
13	JAC	17,590	-27%	10,479	60%
14	FAW	14,778	27%	6,439	44%
15	Haima	12,594	-1%	8,597	68%
16	Brilliance	9,524	-11%	5,439	57%
17	Lifan	8,373	67%	6,847	82%
18	Soueast	7,788	35%	6,265	80%
19	Jinbei	7,353	718%	0	0%
20	Venucia	7,291	-21%	4,409	60%
21	Leopaard	6,475	31%	6,475	100%
22	MG	6,206	-1%	2,820	45%
23	Cowin	5,880	new	5,301	90%
24	Hawtai	5,070	1%	4,231	83%
25	Borgward	5,027	new	5,027	100%

First month above 10.000 sales for the Dongfeng Fengguang 580

Chinese carmakers have been the main force behind the SUV craze. Out of the Top 25 Chinese brands in August, 22 have an SUV sales ratio superior to the national average of 36.4%. Only Baojun – just below at 34%, Jinbei and Wuling (not SUV brands) fall short, but Haval (100%), Leopaard (100%), Borgward (100%) prosper on lineups entirely composed of SUVs. Zotye (96%), GAC (89%), Hawtai (83%), Lifan (82%), Soueast (80%), Haima (68%) and Venucia (60%) owe their survival in the ultra-competitive Chinese market solely to SUVs.

9.106 Borgward BX7 have already found a buyer in China.

This month, yet another wave of new Chinese SUVs is flooding the August sales charts: the Geely Boyue lodges a 2nd month above 10.000 sales, the Dongfeng Fengguang 580 posts its first 5-digit sales month at #50 and 10.086, the Roewe RX5 is the most impressive of all, up 124 spots on its inaugural July score to #66, the Geely Emgrand GS breaks another record at 7.541 sales and the Geely Vision SUV is up 297 ranks to #87 and 7.051 sales. The Haval H6 (+49%) still dominates the category above the GAC Trumpchi GS4 (+84%), Buick Envision (+119%), VW Tiguan (-14%) and Hyundai Tucson (+654%) for the first time in the Top 5. The Baojun 560 (-12%) marks a pause. Still progressing are the Lifan Myway (5.043), Haval H7 (4.482) and Cadillac XT5 (3.703). The Borgward BX7 (5.027) and Cowin X3 (3.877) confirm their solid July launch scores.

The Chery Arrizo 5 cements its #2 Chinese sedan status.

The Wuling Hongguang remains the best-selling nameplate in the country thanks to the help of its crossover-looked S1, with the VW Lavida (+16%) rounding up the podium. The VW Jetta (+99%) benefits fully from the small engine tax cut, as do the Toyota Corolla (+187%), Ford Escort (+120%) and VW Bora (+40%). The Baojun 730 is back up to #6 after 5 months outside the Top 10 and the Buick Verano is up 6-fold on the previous generation a year ago. But the real winner among traditional cars this month is the Chery Arrizo 5. A surprise success given the poor performances of the two previous Arrizo nameplates (3 and 7), the Arrizo 5 is up 17% on a record July score to hit 13.072 sales, #2 Chinese sedan below the Geely Emgrand EC7 (14.610) but above the Changan Eado (11.824).

Previous month: China July 2016: Tax cut triggers 26% gain, fastest pace in 3.5 years

One year ago: China August 2015: Baojun 560 soars to #3 SUV in third consecutive market decline

Full August 2016 Top 70 China-made brands and Top 397 models ranking below.

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China LCV July 2016: Pickups up 26%, Mini Trucks up 12% in market down 11%

August 20, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

Sales of Great Wall Wingle 6 are up 74% year-on-year in July.

* See the Top 56 All-models by clicking on the title *

Thanks to a partnership with Chinese consultancy outlet Cedars, here is July sales data for Light Commercial Vehicles in China with complete Minivan, Pickup and Mini Truck model figures as well as selected Light Truck data provided by LMC Automotive. The Chinese LCV aisle as a whole is once again in great difficulty with July sales down 11% to 216.824 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down 12% to 1.912.175 units. Yet detailed study segment by segment confirms the evolution of the past few months. Micro/minivans accelerate their demise at -49% to 27.482 units, some of this lost wind recuperated by mini trucks up 12% to 35.224, this category outselling minivans for the third month in a row – and ever. A typical illustration of this momentous shift is the Wuling Mini Truck, back to #1 this month and the mini pickup variant of the Wuling Hongguang, now selling almost double the Wuling Sunshine and Rongguang minivans combined at 20.117 sales vs. 11.758.

JAC Pickups – including the T6 pictured here in Chile – are up 221% in July.

But for the third consecutive month, the LCV heroes of China are pickup trucks. Reenergised by a change in legislation allowing them in the large cities of four provinces for the first time in 12 years (click here for more detail on this), pickup sales in China are fast turning into one of the new engine of growth along with SUVs and MPVs. After returned to positive for the first time in over two years in April and posting very impressive gains in both May (+11%) and June (+36%), pickup trucks sing their third month of double-digit gains in a row in July at +23% to 26.014 units, lifting their year-to-date total up 6% to 198.426. Their distant leader, the ageing Great Wall Wingle 5, manages to outpace the segment’s explosive growth at +28% to 5.896 at #9, its best ranking since February. Surprisingly, its closest followers all lose ground: the Dongfeng Rich (-14%), JMC Baodian (-20%) and ZX Auto Grand Tiger (-3%), but the JAC Pickup (+221%), Great Wall Wingle 6 (+74%), JMC Yuhu (+87%) and Foton Tunland (+46%) make themselves noticed.

Previous post: China First Half 2016: Tax cut, SUV wave spur 8% gain to record 12.8m

Previous month: China LCV June 2016: Pickup sales surge 36%

One year ago: China LCV July 2015: Wuling Mini Truck confirms leadership

Full July 2016 Top 56 All-models ranking below.

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China July 2016: Focus on the All-new models

August 18, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China
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Borgward BX7

* See the July 2016 Top 393 All China-made models and Top 70 brands here *

With new car sales up a whopping 26% year-on-year in July, the Chinese market welcomes a boasting 8 all-new China-made models this month – 5 of which being Chinese SUVs and thus right on-trend – compared to just two in June but 9 in May. As is the tradition each month, BSCB puts a laser focus on these new entries to keep you up-to-the-minute about the largest car market in the world. The July 2016 class of all-new nameplates is a particularly momentous one as we welcome one marque reborn from the 1960s and one new Chinese marque instantly featuring three all-new nameplates…

Old and new Borgward logo

1. Borgward BX7 (#118 – 4.079 sales)

The most popular newcomer this month has a definite German accent to it, but the renaissance of the Borgward marque 55 years after it last made cars is anything but, rather funded and 100% owned by Foton Motor, property of the BAIC Group. As I described in our annual ranking of the most impressive Chinese carmakers at the Beijing Auto Show where Borgward placed at a stunning #3, Foton did a stellar job at reviving the once legendary marque. Its marketing efforts at the Show focused on its heritage, playing up the “Since 1919″ slogan despite the half-century production interruption and enumerating the brand’s achievements at the peak of its glory in the fifties: “A direct competitor to Mercedes”, “One of Germany’s Top 4 Carmakers” (along with Volkswagen, Opel and Mercedes), “The most complete product lineup of the time” and “Cumulative sales of 1 million units”.

Last September, I cringed at how much of a faux pas it was to relaunch the brand at the Frankfurt Auto Show, especially with a misleading “accessible premium” positioning. I stand by it, it was a mistake. But if the only objective was to get press in China and make the brand look more premium here – like anything European it seems – then it may have been a good idea. The BX7 is now in market almost a year after its German unveiling, and Borgward has made sure to feature numerous test-drives in Germany (such as the one pictured above) to prolong the illusion – as not a single Borgward will be manufactured in Germany, something the brand’s website conveniently bypasses. The Chinese name for Borgward (Baowo 宝沃) is a clever mix of BMW (Baoma 宝马) and Volvo (Woer’Wo 沃尔沃)… “Any similarities with existing marques would be purely coincidental” – not.

Borgward 230

As we saw in Beijing, the smaller BX5 and BX6TS are already on their way and will enlarge the brand’s lineup in the coming months. For now, the BX7 is ideally sized for a Chinese car market hungrier than ever for compact Chinese SUVs, and a first appearance above 4.000 monthly sales is a very satisfying figure indeed for what is basically an unknown brand – beyond what BSCB would have originally set as a bar for success. Reported Chinese sales however tend to be wholesale deliveries to dealers, so we should wait a few months to really declare this launch successful – or not.

If BAIC’s brands are still displayed in a joyous mess at every Auto Show (Senova, Huansu, Weiwang, Changhe, Foton, Gratour…), Borgward stands apart and it can only be beneficial for its sales performance. A much needed boost, as the BX7 is basically a rebadged BAIC: it is in fact the same vehicle as the BAIC Huansu S6, Weiwang S50 and Senova X65. The price is much higher though, from 169.800 to 242.800 yuan ($25.600-36.600) compared to the S6 (79.800-116.800), S50 (95.000-110.000) and X65 (106.800-156.800). All three nameplates have found their market, so chances are the BX7 will too but it might be tougher to convince Chinese buyers to fork out that much money for a rebadged BAIC.

Bar for success: 5.000 monthly sales

Cowin C3

2. Cowin X3 (#128 – 3.744 sales)

4. Cowin V3 (#212 – 1.296 sales)

5. Cowin C3 (#215 – 1.205 sales)

This month it’s not just one but three new nameplates from Chery spinoff brand Cowin that enter the ranking. Cowin, formerly a Chery sub-brand, transitioned into full-blown marque in August 2014 and premiered at the Chengdu Auto Show in September of that year. Yet its first appearance at a major Chinese Auto Show was in Beijing last April, and a cascade of new, sharply designed and perfectly relevant nameplates meant it ranked #5 in our list of the most impressive Chinese carmakers at the Show. The Cowin brand, aimed at younger buyers living in second and third tier cities and purchasing their first vehicle, now makes its very first appearance in the Chinese sales charts.

Cowin X3

As we detailed in China 2016 Photo Report: The Chinese car dealerships of Xining, the Cowin C3 sedan and C3R hatchback have been on sale in China for almost a year, yet the nameplate only appears now in the ranking at #215 with 1.205 sales. Delayed reporting sometimes occurs in China when a new brand appears in market. The X3 5-seat SUV, unveiled in Beijing in April, is for its part all-new. It is based on the tried-and-tested Chery Tiggo 3 with an entirely new and very modern design. Despite being priced from 63.600 to 93.900 yuan (US$ 9.600-14.200), the X3 features a 10.1 inch touchscreen in the centre console, something that is sure to attract a younger clientele. It is logically priced at a 7.000 yuan ($1.000) premium over the ageing Tiggo 3 (56.900-86.900 yuan) and enters one of the most crowded segments in China. Available with a 1.6L petrol with 127hp mated with a five-speed manual or automatic, it will compete squarely with such blockbusters as the Baojun 560 (66.800-92.800), BAIC Senova X35 (65.200-88.200), Brilliance V3 (59.700-102.700), Changan CS35 (72.400-94.400), Dongfeng Fengguang AX7 (64.700-82.700) and Ford Ecosport (69.800-100.800).

Cowin V3

Unveiled like the V3 at the last Beijing Auto Show in April, the V3 has been categorised as a 7-seat SUV even though it is actually a rebaghed variant of the Karry K50 MPV. Powered by the same engine as the X3, the V3 is competitively priced between 60.800 and 77.800 yuan (US$9.200-11.700). It’s a clear premium over the Karry K50S, the SUV-esque variant of the K50 (50.800-68.800) but its SUV categorisation places the V3 as one of the cheapest 7-seaters in market, competing with the Changan CX70 (64.400-80.400) and Lifan Myway (55.700-76.800). Over in the MPV aisle, the X3 competes with the tremendously successful – but lately struggling – Baojun 730 (59.800-82.800). Chery/Cowin have played all the right cards to be successful here too with the V3. In this context, regular stints at 5.000 monthly sales would mean success for either the V3 or the X3, but these two could go much higher with their cutthroat pricing and attractive design.

Bar for success: C3: 3.000 monthly sales, X3 and V3: 5.000 monthly sales.

3. Roewe RX5 (#190 – 1.620 sales)

Also unveiled at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, the RX5 is a much-anticipated and very sleek addition to the Roewe lineup, the Chinese version of the defunct Rover marque, now owned the SAIC Group. Dubbed by the brand as “the world’s first mass-produced super internet SUV”, the RX5 is the first model equipped with the Yun OS software jointly developed with Chinese tech Alibaba, the Chinese Amazon. Roewe wants to attract a younger audience with the RX5, targetting the 26-35 year-old age bracket which has traditionally been the territory of SAIC’s other main brand, MG. The RX5 is indeed based on the same platform as the MG GS but priced higher at 97.800-177.800 yuan (US$14.750-26.800) vs. 84.700-153.700 for the MG GS.

This way, the RX5 competes with the entry-premium Chinese SUVs, such as the hugely successful GAC Trumpchi GS4 (99.800-153.800), Haval H6 Coupe (118.300-159.800), Geely Boyue (98.800-157.900), Leopaard CS10 (96.300-146.400), Qoros 5 SUV (119.900-178.900) and even the Haval H7 (145.300-165.300). On the other hand, although pricey for a Chinese SUV, the 4.54m long RX5 remains a very good deal when compared to China-made foreign offerings which demand a similar price for a distinctly smaller car such as the 4.29m Honda Vezel (118.800-175.800 yuan), 4.29m Mitsubishi ASX (93.800-150.000), 4.27m Hyundai ix25 (95.800-168.000), 4.28m Buick Encore (99.700-164.900), 4.27m Kia KX3 (85.800-159.800) or 4.17m Suzuki Vitara (99.500-158.800).

Roewe RX5 interior

Sales-wise, the Roewe brand has recently been re-energised by the new 360 sedan that peaked at a cool 8.437 units last January, however still far from the brand’s nameplate record of 15.883 sales hit by the 350 in December 2013. But Roewe has never been able to rely on solid SUV sales, with the antique W5, a rebadged Ssangyong Kyron, never taking off since its 2011 launch. In this context, the 1.620 sales delivered by the RX5 for its inaugural month are actually a good performance already: the W5 has not signed a four-digit month since April 2014 (1.121) and only beat the RX5 July figure once: in January 2014 when 2.014 units found a new home. But the RX5 can – and should – go much higher, potentially to 5-digit monthly sales. The MG GS’s record is 6.741 back in December 2015, and a similar score hit regularly would already be a gage of success for the RX5.

Bar for success: 6.500 monthly sales

6. Luxgen 3 Sedan (#362 – 47 sales)

Another nameplate unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show last April, the Luxgen 3 Sedan has already launched in Taiwan where it is currently knocking at the Top 20’s door. Luxgen is a brand launched a few years back by the Taiwanese Yulong Group. The 3 Sedan is manufactured in China by the Dongfeng-Yulong joint-venture and is priced from 59.800 to 96.800 yuan (US$9.000-14.600), meaning it is entering arguably the most successful, crowded and competitive segment in the Chinese market. It will compete with the likes of the VW Jetta (5.08-10.04), Santana (5.19-9.88) Geely Emgrand EC7 5.70-8.73, Chagan Eado (starting at 56.900), Ford Escort (6.88-9.18) and Chery Arrizo 5 (5.59-9.49). Unfortunately, its dated Dongfeng 1.6L four-cylinder petrol 124hp engine, mated with a five-speed manual or CVT may make it a harder sell than it already is. Luxgen’s success in China has so far relied on SUVs, with the 6 SUV hitting a record 7.647 sales in January 2015. The 5 Sedan, launched in April 2015, only posted a four-digit sales month once, in May 2015 (1.956) so the 3 Sedan can only hope for a small slice of the gargantuan Chinese compact sedan cake.

Bar for success: 2.000 monthly sales

7. VW Phideon (#373 – 28 sales)

Unveiled to the world at the 2016 Geneva Auto Show last March even though this is a China-only nameplate, the Phideon is the new flagship VW sedan as the Phaeton production ended on the same month. It is manufactured at SAIC-Volkswagen’s No.3 plant in Anting, Shanghai, on the MLB platform that has also given birth to the high-selling Audi A6L. The Phideon is 5.07m long and proposed with a choice of two engines, a 2.0TSI and a 3.0T V6, both paired to a 7DSG. The Phideon is a very interesting addition to the Volkswagen range that had lately focused its efforts on its most affordable offerings such as the Jetta, Santana and Bora in order to fend off more and more competitive Chinese carmakers.

The premium sedan segment is alive and well in China though, and definitely worth another look by Volkswagen. The BMW 5 Series is the best-seller so far in 2016 (81.799 units), followed closely by the Audi A6L (79.879). It’s therefore a smart move from Volkswagen to try and upgrade its current Passat and Magotan customers (adding up to a whopping 182.171 units in the first seven months of 2016) towards a more affordable option than the Phaeton was (528.000 to 1.200.000 yuan or US$79.600-180.900). In comparison, the Phideon is priced at 359.000-670.000 yuan (US$54.100-101.000). That’s significantly higher than the A6L (249.000-503.200) and roughly at the same level as the imported A7 (418.600-656.600), ensuring minimal A6L/Phideon cannibalisation. Faithful to its traditionally crystal-clear segmentation, Volkswagen has priced the Phideon entirely out of the Passat/Magotan range (133.800-304.600) with only the top-end imported Passat Variant (379.600 yuan) sliding in. Similarly, the VW CC (252.800-342.800) doesn’t infringe on Phideon territory.

With a very clear positioning in the market and within the Volkswagen Group’s stable, how far up can the Phideon go sales wise? This predictive exercise is actually a delicate task, because never before had the Volkswagen brand produced such an expensive nameplate in China. Its previous attempt as selling full-blown luxury has backfired, even in China, with the Phaeton only finding 1.581 customers in FY 2015 for its last full year in market. The success of the A6L can’t be held as a benchmark as it comes on the back of a couple of decades of market integration. The Mercedes S-Class, more expensive (769.800-2.450.000 yuan) sold just under 27.000 units last year and the VW CC, currently the most expensive China-made VW, should reach the same level in 2016. The novelty effect should push the Phideon slightly higher on an annual basis.

Bar for success: 3.000 monthly sales

8. Geely Vision SUV (#384 – 4 sales)

The most discreet all-new July nameplate in China is also the most intriguing. The Vision SUV, or Vision X6, is in fact a facelifted Geely GX7 with a new and very nice face to fit with Geely’s current design standards. The Vision SUV makes it three new Geely SUV in the past few months alongside the Boyue and Emgrand GS. Although very late in catching up with the SUV madness, Geely has now hit the ground running. The Vision SUV is powered by a choice of 1.8 139hp engine with 5-speed manual and 1.3T 133hp engine with CVT. The price should stay around the same area as the GX7 (55.900-119.900 or US$8.400-18.100), meaning very competitive for a 4.60m-long SUV. The GX7 peaked at 7.675 sales back in January 2015, and we expect more from the Vision SUV.

Bar for success: 7.500 monthly sales

Previous month: China June 2016: Focus on the All-new models

One year ago: China July 2015: Focus on the All-new models

China July 2016: Tax cut triggers 26% gain, fastest pace in 3.5 years

August 16, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

The GAC Trumpchi GS4 breaks into the overall Top 5 for the first time in July.

* See the Top 70 China-made brands and Top 393 models by clicking on the title *

The Chinese new car market manages a third consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year gains in July and its largest since January 2013 at +26% to 1.6 million passenger cars excluding commercial vehicles, partly due to a low base a year ago when the market suffered a 2nd consecutive month of decline, and partly the fruit of the halving of the purchase tax on small-engine vehicles to 5% last October. Vehicles eligible for the tax break surge 39% year-on-year this month to 1.144.000 units. Once again SUVs are the main engine of growth in China with deliveries up a whopping 46% on July 2015 to 587.532 just as MPVs are up 36% to 146.816 and sedans grow 20% to 833.440, the segment’s fastest pace in years. This very robust July result means a record 12.65 million new cars have found a buyer so far in 2016, 11% ahead of the same period a year ago. The overall market including cars, trucks and busses stands at 14.7 million units in 7 months, 9.8% above 2015.

The Wuling Hongguang reclaims the Chinese top spot in July.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “with the tax break due to expire at the end of the year, many dealers have put countdown timers on their websites or stores to encourage consumers to buy cars by the time 2016 comes to an end”. The China Automobile Dealers Association says inventories have fallen to a one-year low in July, signaling quickening demand. However economic indicators point to a further slowdown of the Chinese economy in the second half of 2016 and early 2017 car sales could suffer greatly from anticipated sales before the tax break expiration – unless the government decides to prolong the tax break.

The Volkswagen Group outsells General Motors in China in July and year-to-date.

Among major carmakers reporting deliveries to customers (and not dealers), the Volkswagen Group is up 16% to 285.900 sales, leading to a year-to-date total up 8% to 2.148.000. Sales of Volkswagen-branded models are up 17% to 210.500 (+8.5% to 1.601.900 in 2016), Audi is up 10% to 46.454 (+6.5% to 336.580 YTD) and Skoda is up 16% to 21.400. General Motors for its part is up 18% to 270.529 sales, riding on excellent results by Cadillac (+90% to 8.757), Buick (+30% to 89.404), Baojun up 66% to 44.320 despite the cooling off of the 730 (-21%) and the 560 (#18 vs. #7 YTD) while Wuling recovers at +6% to 97.728 and Chevrolet continues to struggle at -15% to 30.287. Year-to-date, GM deliveries are up 6.8% to 2.081.005.

Honda outsells Toyota and Nissan in China for the first time in July.

For the first time, Honda Motor outsells its two main Japanese competitors Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor thanks mainly to the tremendous success of its SUV lineup (CR-V, XR-V and Vezel) although the carmaker’s gain is widespread: one-third of its 18 models progress by more than 30% this month. All-in-all, Honda gains 39% to 102.319 sales, Toyota is up 6% to 97.700 and Nissan is up 9% to 91.700. Meanwhile Ford Motor Co. is up 15% to 88.190. In the first 7 months of 2016, Honda is up 21% to 646.054, Toyota up 14% to 689.900, Nissan up 4.5% to 701.700 and Ford up 6% to 652.836.

The Haval H7 continues to climb the Chinese sales charts: up to #118 in July.

Over in the premium aisle, Mercedes soars 26% to 37.277, gaining ground on BMW up 19% to 40.200 with Audi up 10% to 46.454 while year-to-date Mercedes is up 32% to 257.276, BMW up 8.5% to 287.753 and Audi up 6.5% to 336.580. Even more impressively, this Mercedes score is achieved in the absence of E-Class L sales, as the redesigned and locally produced model will go on sale in September. Among Chinese carmakers, Great Wall jumps 45% to 68.976, helped by price cuts on its best-seller the Haval H6 SUV, that now has a starting price of 88.800 yuan (US$13.395) down 24% from a year ago and the continuing progression of the Haval H7 leading to Haval sales are up 50% to 60.002, while Great Wall pickups are up 36% to 7.688 while Great Wall sedans are down 32% to 1.286. Year-to-date, Great Wall is up 12% to 519.228.

Jeep sells a record 12.551 locally-produced SUVs in China in July.

As a reminder the figures detailed above reflect sales to customers and for the most part include imports. They may therefore differ from the brands table displayed further down in this article. In the China-made brands ranking, Volkswagen (+32%) reigns supreme above 200.000 sales, followed by Honda (+46%), Buick (+42%), Toyota (-13%), Hyundai (+29%), Nissan (+23%), Ford (+29%), Changan (+28%) and Haval (+54%). Geely (+62%) steps inside the Top 10, dislodging Beijing Auto (+84%), with Dongfeng (+63%), Zotye (+116%), GAC Trumpchi (+120%) and Roewe (+133%) posting the largest year-on-year gains inside the Top 30. Thanks to the arrival of the Renegade, American carmaker Jeep signs its 2nd record month of locally-produced sales at 12.551. This month we welcome two new Chinese brands: Cowin (#38) and Borgward (#45) which we will study in a lot more detail shortly in our monthly focus on the All-new models. Finally, notice the imploding of DS (-61%), still hailed as a tremendous success back in France (?) and Fiat down 77% as its range has never been expanded beyond the original Ottimo and Viaggio.

The Geely Boyue signs its very first month above 10.000 units in July.

Model-wise, the Wuling Hongguang reclaims the top spot for only the 2nd time in the past 6 months thanks to sales up 33% to 42.178, the result of both price cuts and the new, larger S1 variant. The Haval H6 is up 69% to #2, knocking the VW Lavida down to #3. Below the Buick Excelle GT up a brilliant 79%, the GAC Trumpchi GS4 (+127%) celebrates one year in market with a very first incursion inside the overall Chinese Top 5. Inside the Top 25, the VW Jetta, Santana (both at +75%), Ford Escort (+110%), Buick Envision (+54%), Toyota Levin (+63%) and Kia K3 (+152%) post spectacular gains.

The BAIC Senova X35 is up to #64 this month.

As described above, Honda justifies its historical month with splendid scores by its SUV lineup: the CR-V is up 54% to rank 3rd in the segment, the XR-V up 39% to #6 and the Vezel up 38% to #8. The Chery Arrizo 5 confirms its 2nd spot among Chinese sedans at #33 with a record 11.135 sales, only outsold by the Geely Emgrand EC7 (15.876, up 40%) but above the Changan Eado down 19% to 8.295 and the Geely Vision up 39% to 8.213.

The Lifan Myway is already knocking at the Top 100’s door in China.

An army of recently-launched Chinese SUVs break records this month: the Geely Boyue SUV jumps into the Top 50 for the first time at #41 (+34 spots on June) and posts its very first 5-digit month at 10.129 sales, the BAIC Senova X35 is up 36 ranks to #64 with 8.005 sales, the Dongfeng Fengguang 580 up 33 to #68 and 7.541, the Geely Emgrand GS up 50 to #74 and 6.728, the Lifan Myway up 11 to #107 and 4.978, the Haval H7 up 26 to #118 and 4.079. Reversely, a few blockbusters get hit: the Changan CS75 is down 40%, the Brilliance V3 down 67% and the Changhe Q25 down 111 spots on June to #242. Among foreigners, notice the Jeep Renegade up 84 spots on last month to #120 and 4.050 sales and the Cadillac XT5 up 40 to #138 and 3.580.

Previous post: China First Half 2016: Tax cut, SUV wave spur 8% gain to record 12.8m

Previous month: China June 2016: Market up 18%, next wave of Chinese SUVs arrives

One year ago: China July 2015: Baojun 560 lands with a splash in market down again

Full July 2016 Top 70 China-made brands and Top 393 models below.

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China 1st Half 2016: Tax cut, SUV wave spur 8% gain to record 12.8m

July 26, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

Baojun sold 320.000 units of the 560 in the past 12 months.

* See the Top 75 All China-made brands, Top 465 models and Top 70 LCVs by clicking on the title *

Now updated with LCV data courtesy of Chinese consultancy outlet Cedars.

Faced with a declining car market, last October Chinese government cut in half the tax on cars with small engines (1.6L or less). The Chinese market never looked back since, culminating in a 18% surge in June. Over the first half of 2016, sales of light vehicles are up 9.2% to 11.042.300 units. Total vehicle sales including trucks and buses gain 8.1% to a record-breaking 12.8 million units, according to the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). By comparison, the U.S. light vehicle market, the 2nd largest in the world, is up 1.5% to 8.644.920 deliveries.

The Envision is a huge success for Buick in China.

A very robust 2nd half could mean the government will let the tax cut expire on December 31 as planned. If that’s the case, we will witness a last-minute rush to buy small cars towards the end of the year and a disproportionately low start of 2017 – in that scenario IHS predicts Chinese growth will slow to 1.4% in 2017. For this reason, the CAAM said it is in favour of a permanent tax cit that could be viewed as a promotion of fuel-efficient cars. I am banking on the government extending the tax cut to avoid sending another wave of disruption into the market. For now, halfway through 2016 SUV sales remain the clear engine of Chinese growth with deliveries up a whopping 42% year-on-year to 3.850.000 units, while MPV get a second wind at +19% to 1.200.100 sales and sedans continue to skid at -4% to 5.565.700.

	H1 2016	Ch. MS	/15	H1 2015	Ch. MS	/14	H1 2014	Ch. MS
Total Market	11,042,300	/	9%	10,121,300	/	5%	9,638,400	/
Ch. brands	4,735,000	42.9%	13%	4,184,600	41.3%	15%	3,651,500	37.9%
Ch. SUV	2,171,000	56.4%	53%	1,417,700	53.3%	93%	735,300	40.4%
Ch. Sedans	1,109,400	19.9%	-11%	1,243,400	21.5%	-11%	1,390,800	22.6%
Ch. MPV	1,087,600	90.6%	21%	895,200	88.1%	19%	750,400	85.1%

Ch. = Chinese, Ch. MS = Chinese market share

Chinese manufacturers continue to regain the terrain they had lost in the home market in the past decade thanks to extremely strong SUV sales. Over the first 6 months of 2016, they hold a 42.9% market share of Chinese light vehicle sales, compared to 41.3% a year ago and 37.9% in 2014. Chinese SUVs gain a stunning 53% to 2.171.000 units and 56.4% share vs. 53.3% in 2015 and 40.4% in 2014. Chinese MPV also have a smile on their bonnet with deliveries up 21% leading to a 90.6% share vs. 88.1% in 2015 and 85.1% in 2014. Only Chinese sedans lag behind with volumes down 11% to 19.9% share vs. 21.5% in 2015 and 22.6% in 2014.

The Buick Excelle GT and VW Lavida have helped GM and VAG tremendously in China this year.

Overtaken by General Motors over the Full Year 2015, the Volkswagen Group reclaims the lead of the Chinese sales races halfway through 2016 thanks to deliveries up 6% to 1.91 million. The Volkswagen brand is up 5% to 1.44m, Audi up 6% to 290.126, Skoda up 11% to 152.000 and Porsche up 4% to 30.440. GM for its part is up 5% to 1.81m units. Buick is up 27% to become the #2 brand in the country below VW at 569.000 sales, Baojun surges 81%, Wuling is stable but Chevrolet is down 31%. Hyundai-Kia is in difficulty at -0.6% to fall just under 810.000 sales, Nissan Motor is up 4% to 609.900, Toyota Motor up 16% to 592.100, Ford Motor up 6% to 577.100 with Lincoln sales tripling to 12.450 (more than the 11.630 it sold over the Full Year 2015) and Honda up 18% to 542.500 thanks to the roaring success of the XR-V and Vezel twin crossovers. In the luxury aisle, below Audi, Mercedes soars 33% to 220.000 units, citing up on BMW up 7% to 247.600. Note the above figures include imports – which is not the case in the sales tables below the jump.

The Haval H6 remains the best-selling SUV in China – Coupe variant pictured.

Looking at homegrown brands – figures don’t include commercial vehicles, Changan is up 8% but drops one spot to #3 at 563.900 units, Haval gains a solid 22% to break into the Top 10 at #9 and 378.700 units, Beijing Auto is up 51% to #11, Dongfeng up 15% to #12, Geely up 10% to #15 and JAC up 17% #18. Below, the brands that gain spectacular ground all do so thanks to new SUV offerings: GAC Trumpchi is up 170%, Zotye up 49%, Brilliance up 46%, Roewe up 74%, Soueast up 81%, Leopaard up 433% and Landwind up 236%.

Still the one: the Wuling Hongguang is the #1 vehicle in China but drops 6%

Model-wise, the Wuling Hongguang remains the best-selling vehicle in the country despite sales down 6% to 294.300, but is now under intense pressure from the VW Lavida, up a fantastic 23% to 287.400. The Haval H6 does even better, lifted by the success of the Coupe variant up 40% to 240.300. Just below, a string of high-performing sedans contradict the overall trend: the VW Jetta (+16%), Sagitar (+27%), Buick Excelle GT (+54%) and Toyota Corolla (+35%) all frankly outpace the market. Just over one year old, the GAC Trumpchi GS4 lands inside the Top 10 thanks to 150.800 deliveries. The Buick Envision (#14), Dongfeng Fengguang 330/370 (+30%), Honda CR-V (+38%), XR-V (+61%) and Vezel (+44%) and Toyota Levin (+32%) also shine inside the Top 50.

The GAC Trumpchi GS4 is now among the 10 most popular vehicles in China.

But the most impressive performance is without a doubt delivered by the Baojun 560, landing directly in 4th position overall with nearly 175.000 sales so far in 2016. Launched in July 2015, Baojun has sold an earth-shattering 320.000 copies of the 560 in just 12 months, beating the brand’s previous launch (the 730) to snap the title of most successful new nameplate launch in the history of automobile in China. The Baojun 560 is the fastest nameplate to reach its first 300.000 units: it did so in just 11 months (301.534) vs. 13 for the Baojun 730. It leads a strong contingent of 72 new China-made nameplates having made their first appearance in the Chinese charts over the past 12 months. So far in 2016, the Changan Oushang, Hyundai Elantra Lingdong, Jeep Cherokee, BAIC Huansu H3, Zotye Damai X5, BAIC Senova X25, Nissan Lannia, Soueast DX7 and Roewe 360 have been the most successful. It’s also worth mentioning the Buick Verano, new Hyundai Tucson and Brilliance V3, each just over one year old but already inside the Top 50.

Dongfeng Rich – Chinese pickups are back in the game.

Stepping into the Light Commercial Vehicle market, a few momentous shifts are at play. In an overall market contracting 12% to 1.695.351 units, minivans are fast falling into oblivion at -36% to 304.019, with part of this lost volume recuperated by mini trucks (the pickup equivalent of these minivans), up 14% to 246.315. The big news however is the return to grace of pickups up 4% to 169.510 (and surging 36% in June), helped by a change in legislation allowing them in the large cities of four provinces for the first time in 12 years (click here for more detail). The Foton Light Truck is in the lead despite sales down 6% to 126.856 ahead of the Wuling Mini Truck (+6%) and Hongguang V (-17%). The Wuling Sunshine (-33%), Rongguang (-35%) and Chana Star Minibus (-40%) implode, and the Great Wall Wingle 5 leads the pickup charge above the JMC Baodian, ZX Auto Grand Tiger and Dongfeng Rich.

Used-vehicle sales don’t traditionally make it to BSCB headlines but in the case of China it is a very important element to help understand the largest market in the world. The used-car market in China is still nascent as an overwhelming majority of new car buyers purchase their very first car, and the trust required to purchase a second-hand car isn’t supported yet by a clear and official network of resellers. In this context, the used car market in China unsurprisingly grows slower than the new car market in 2016, at +4% to 4.7 million units over the first half of the year. Interestingly, microvans are the fastest-growing segment just as they disappear from the new car charts: they are up 77% to 276.909 units, while used MPVs are up 35% to 236.700, SUVs are up 31% to 298.000 and sedans up 5% to 2.871.500 according to the China Automobile Dealers Association. Used buses are down 15% to 514.500 and used trucks down 10% to 486.000. The CADA forecast a used vehicle market up 6% to 10 million units over the full year 2016.

Previous post (1): China June 2016: Market up 18%, next wave of Chinese SUVs arrives

Previous post (2): China LCV June 2016: Pickup sales surge 36%

One year ago: China 1st Half 2015: Domestic carmakers regain ground in shy market

Full H1 2016 Top 75 All China-made brands, Top 465 models and Top 70 LCVs vs. Full H1 2015 figures below.

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China LCV June 2016: Pickup sales surge 36%

July 26, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

The Great Wall Wingle 5 is the best-selling pickup in China.

* See the Top 55 best-selling models by clicking on the title *

Thanks to a partnership with Chinese consultancy outlet Cedars, we can share with you today detailed sales data for Light Commercial Vehicles in China with complete Minivan, Pickup and Mini Truck data by model as well as selected light truck/bus data provided by LMC Automotive. Chinese LCV sales continue to struggle at -17% in June to 252.603 and -12% year-to-date to 1.695.351. However the detail by segment unveils a striking novelty: minivan are stuck in a race to the bottom at -48% to 33.825 sales, mini trucks for once also crumble at -21% to 35.104 – yet outselling minivans for the 2nd consecutive month – but the heroes of the month are pickups. Bolstered by a change in legislation allowing them in the large cities of four provinces for the first time in 12 years (click here for more detail on this), pickup sales in China returned to positive for the first time in over two years in April and posted their first double-digit gains in 3 years in May. In June, their revival accelerates further to a whopping 36% to 28.581 units.

JMC Baodian

They are led as usual by the Great Wall Wingle 5, stable at 5.015 sales, followed by the JMC Baodian (+28%), Dongfeng Rich (+47%), ZX Auto Grand Tiger (+6%), JMC Yuhu (+239%) and Great Wall Wingle 6 (+57%). In fact, only four of the 20 pickups ranked in this month’s charts lose ground year-on-year. In May 2015, we had detailed the Chinese pickup market as the low-hanging fruit in our analysis Where is the Chinese market headed? and it seems the Chinese government reads BSCB… In other LCV news, the Foton Light Truck retains the lead with sales up 4% to 19.175, the Wuling Hongguang V is up to #2 but down 1% and the Wuling Mini Truck uncharacteristically falls 42% to #3.

Previous month: China LCV May 2016: Minitrucks outsell minivans, pickups up 11%

One year ago: China LCV June 2015: Wuling Mini Truck takes off at +66%

Full June 2016 Top 55 models Ranking Table below.

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China June 2016: Focus on the All-new models

July 17, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China
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* See the June 2016 Top 393 All China-made models and Top 70 brands here *

Although Chinese June sales fuelled up 18%, this month of the year is traditionally slower in terms of novelties coming onto the market. After 9 all-new China-made nameplates made their first appearance in the May ranking, this figure slows down to two in June – the same as June 2015. As is the tradition each month, BSCB puts a laser focus on these new entries to keep you up-to-the-minute about the largest car market in the world. It’s no surprise the two newcomers are SUVs, but the fact they are both foreign brands is a surprise.

1. Mazda CX-4 (#92 – 6.347 sales)

Incomprehensibly, Mazda hasn’t launched the CX-3 in China yet. Instead, the Japanese carmaker unveiled in Beijing last April its very first China-only nameplate: the CX-4 SUV. Although Mazda hasn’t ruled out export to other countries – Australia where Mazda holds a 10% market share is drooling over it – the company hasn’t announced any plans either. A very aggressive design immediately positions the CX-4 among the best looking SUVs on sale at the moment, and Chinese customers agree: it already sold 6.347 units in May, already the brand’s 2nd best-seller below just the 3 Axela (10.603) and above the CX-5 (4.248). Priced between 140.800 and 215.800 yuan (US$ 21.100-32.300), the CX-4 is manufactured by the FAW-Mazda joint-venture in Changchun and powered by a choice of 2.0L or 2.5L SkyActive petrol engines mated with a six-speed automatic, meaning it can’t benefit for tax-cuts allowed to 1.6L or less.

Mazda is marketing the CX-4 as a sportier version of the CX-5 in China, and although the CX-4 is longer (4.63m vs. 4.56m), it is indeed shorter (1.54m vs. 1.71m) and definitely looks a lot sportier. Somewhat disappointingly, the CX-4 shares most of its interior with the 3. This format places it right into the most competitive foreign SUV segment, along with the blockbusters VW Tiguan (16.145 sales in June), Nissan X-Trail (15.920), Honda CR-V (14.883), Hyundai Tucson (13.203) and Ford Kuga (7.297) as well as newcomers Kia KX5 (8.493) and Jeep Cherokee (8.702). Hitting a 5-digit monthly sales figure should be the objective for the CX-4.

Bar for success: 10.000 monthly sales

2. Jeep Renegade (#204 – 1.678 sales)

Jeep became a local manufacturer last November when it launched the China-made version of the Cherokee, of which over 58.000 units have since been sold, peaking at 9.201 last April. The Renegade inaugurates a new plant in Guangzhou, operated by the joint-venture between GAC and FCA with an annual capacity of 160.000 vehicles. This means the Renegade is now produced in three countries: Italy, Brazil and China, the most locations of any Jeep nameplate and the only one not produced in North America at all. It is priced between 141.800 and 178.880 yuan (US$21.200 – 26,700), very close to its U.S. price ($18.990-27.990) whereas the Chinese Cherokee incurred a 50% price premium on its U.S. equivalent (see China November 2015: Focus on the All-new models). The Renegade is 4.25m long and is powered by either a 1.4T matched to a 7DCT or a 2.0L mated with a 9AT, with both front-wheel drive and 4WD versions available – some very modern mechanics here.

Even though it is a lot more affordable than the Cherokee, the Renegade may have a hard time finding its clientele in China, as their inaugural sales months already show (1.678 vs. 2.171). At this price point and size, the Renegade indeed finds itself in a bit of a black hole, where only the Honda XR-V and Vezel twins have truly succeeded among foreign carmakers so far (4.28m, 127.800-189.800 yuan and 27.461 combined sales in June). The Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore, Peugeot 2008 and Citroen C3-XR all quickly faltered after promising launches. But this is where it gets tricky: for this price point you can now afford high quality, much larger Chinese SUVs such as the Geely Emgrand GS (4.40m, 77.800-108.800 yuan) or Geely Boyue (4.52m, 98.800-157.800 yuan). A lower sales target than what the Cherokee is currently selling seems therefore adequate.

Bar for success: 6.500 monthly sales

Previous month: China May 2016: Focus on the All-new models

One year ago: (see end of article) China June 2015: First monthly year-on-year decline in over 6 years

China June 2016: Market up 18%, next wave of Chinese SUVs arrives

July 17, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

Launched in April, the Changan CX70 sells 10.058 units in June.

* See the Top 70 All China-made brands and Top 393 All models by clicking on the title *

A year ago, the Chinese light vehicle market was going through its first monthly year-on-year decline in over 6 years. June 2016 data is a lot more reassuring with deliveries up a whopping 18% year-on-year to 1.784.100 units. Crossovers and SUvs once again are the engine of growth in China at +41% to 632.300 units, with MPVs up 35% to 170.400 and sedans up 9% to 925.100, whereas microvans continue to sink into oblivion at -38% to 56.300 sales according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. These strong results are showing that the tax cut on cars with engines of or lower than 1.6L implemented last October has been effective in rebooting market growth.

A March launch, the Geely Boyue found 8.142 new homes in June.

The Volkswagen brand manages to outpace the overall Chinese market with sales up a stunning 20% to 219.431. It is followed by Buick up 14% to 97.266, Hyundai up a whopping 62% to 97.208, Honda up 14% to 95.788 and Nissan up 20% to 88.580 whereas Toyota pays the absence of small crossover in its lineup with a 8% drop to 88.432. Rare brands in decline also included Citroen (-4%), Chevrolet (-16%), Peugeot (-19%) and Ford (-20%). Note the above figures do not include imports. Changan (+22%), Beijing Auto (+127%) and Haval (+39%) are the only Chinese brands inside the overall Top 10, followed by Geely at #11 (+37%), Dongfeng at #13 (+53%) and Wuling at #15 (+17%). Notice Baojun up 44%, GAC Trumpchi up 121%, Haima up 67% and Roewe up 89%. In the luxury race, Audi is up 7% to remain the favourite at 51.008 sales, BMW Group (including Mini) is up 13% to 45.300 and Mercedes shoots up 21% to 39.462 sales. Group-wise, General Motors is up 11% to 273.563 sales but far below the Volkswagen Group.

Launched in March, the Yuan is BYD’s 2nd most popular vehicle in China this month.

Thanks to sales up a stunning 62% year-on-year to 43.585, the VW Lavida reclaims the top spot in the models ranking for the third time in the past 5 months, knocking the Wuling Hongguang down to #2 and 41.956 units (+16%). The Haval H6 soars 60% to 37.547 deliveries and stays put in third place ahead of the Nissan Sylphy (+33%), VW Jetta (+72%) and Buick Excelle GT (+59%). The VW Sagitar (+70%) and Santana (+39%) are the other two Volkswagen sedans posting exuberant gains in the Top 10, just as the Tiguan drops 28% awaiting the new generation.

The BAIC Senova X35 ranks inside the overall Top 100 for its 2nd month in market.

The GAC Trumpchi GS4 (#10) remains the #2 best-selling SUV in the country above the Buick Envision (+48%) and Baojun 560. Yet one of the main trends in the SUV segment this month is foreign entries catching up: the Nissan X-Trail ranks 6th with 15.920 sales, the Honda CR-V is up 12% at #7, the Honda Vezel and XR-V continue to sparkle, adding up to 27.461 sales (+31%) and the new model propels the Hyundai Tucson 8-fold to 13.203 sales. Meanwhile the Chinese SUVs that had gobbled up such an impressive amount of sales in the past 18 months seem to be taking a small break: along with the Baojun 560 levelling down, the Changan CS35 (-9%), JAC Refine S3 (-14%), Changan CS75 (-45%) all lose significant ground.

The Dongfeng Fengguang 580 is up 97% on its starting month to #101 in June.

But the succession is ready: 11 of the 13 nameplates launched in the past 3 months that are already present in the Top 145 are Chinese SUVs – the theme of all illustrations in this article and the one thing to remember about China this month. The only two foreigners are the Hyundai Elantra Lingdong (#32) and Kia KX5 (#68). The Changan CX70, first appearing in February but truly launching in April, breaks into the Top 50 with 10.058 sales, the Geely Boyue is up to #75 with 8.142, the BYD Yuan at #95 with 6.161, BAIC Senova X35 at #100 with 5.977 (+99% on its inaugural May score), the Dongfeng Fengguang 580 at #101 with 5.952 (+97%), FAW Xenia R7 at #116 with 4.987 (+27%), Lifan Myway at #118 with 4.864 (+133%), Geely Emgrand GS at #124 with 4.600 (+64%), Changhe Q25 at #131 with 4.222 and BAIC Weiwang S50 at #132 with 4.132. Finally, the Haval H7 continues to climb up at 3.594, now the brand’s third best-seller below the H6 and H2 (10.089) but above the H1 (3.504) and H5 (1.501).

An April launch, the Lifan Myway is already the brand’s best-seller in China at #118.

The Geely Emgrand EC7 (+44%) is once again the most popular Chinese sedan but the Chery Arrizo 5 continues to flex its muscles, lodging a 2nd consecutive 5-digit sales month at 10.722 and hurting the Changan Eado at #3 (-30%). A rare event, the BMW 5 Series is the #1 luxury vehicle in the country with 14.344 sales, outselling such mass market nameplates as the VW Golf (13.733) and Polo (13.126) and distancing the Mercedes C-Class L (10.417), Audi A4L (10.256), Audi Q5 (9.924) and Audi A6L (9.273). In the MPV aisle, the Dongfeng Fengguang 330/370 is up 90%, the BAIC Weiwang M30 is up 77% and the Changan Oushang posts yet another 5-digit month at 10.819 sales.

Previous month: China May 2016: Price cuts lift market up 11%, Wuling Hongguang back to #1

One year ago: China June 2015: First monthly year-on-year decline in over 6 years

Full June 2016 Top 70 All China-made brands and Top 393 All models below.

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China LCV May 2016: Minitrucks outsell minivans, pickups up 11%

June 29, 2016
Matt Gasnier
China

Pickup trucks are seeing their first double-digit gains in 3 years in China.

* See the Top 50 best-selling models by clicking on the title *

As part of a partnership with Chinese consultancy outlet Cedars, we can share with you today Light Commercial Vehicle detailed sales data for China with complete Minivan, Pickup and Mini Truck data by model as well as selected light truck/bus data provided by LMC Automotive. The overall Chinese LCV market continues to suffer from the muted overall economic context of the country, with sales down 16% year-on-year in May to 266.906, a worrying and larger drop than the year-to-date tally down 12% to 1.442.748 deliveries according to LMC.

Mini Trucks outsell Minivans for the first time in China.

In the detail, a momentous event is happening before our eyes: while minivans are falling faster into oblivion each month -49% to 39.010 in May and -34% year-to-date to 270.186, they are for the first time outsold by the segment that has absorbed much of their fall: mini trucks (aka mini pickups), up another 20% to 42.184 units in May and up 23% to 211.208 so far in 2016. As for pickups, May data confirms the boosting effect of a change in legislation allowing them in the large cities of four provinces for the first time in 12 years (click here for more detail on this). After returning into positive last month for the first time in over two years, pickup sales in China are up a whopping 11% in May to 28.043 units, lifting the year-to-date tally closer to breakeven point at 141.184 (-2.5%).

The Wuling Hongguang V is now the best-selling minivan in China.

The Foton Light Truck keeps the lead despite sales down 7% to 21.369 but is followed closely by the Wuling Mini Truck at 20.716 (+15%), adding up to just under 100.000 sales so far in 2016 (+21%). Note Wuling single cab sales are up 51% in May to 10.457 whereas double cab sales are down 8% to 10.259. YTD, singles are at +31% and doubles at +15%. The Wuling Hongguang V now seems to have found its place in the market with deliveries up 11% to 20.050 this month, well above once-blockbusters Sunshine (-39%) and Rongguang (-44%). The Dongfeng K Series Mini Truck is also hoping the segment greatly at +81% whereas Changan isn’t seeing much transfer to Mini Trucks: the Star Minivan implodes at -87% and the Mini Truck is also down at -15%.

Foton Tunland sales are up 44% in May.

The Great Wall Wingle 5 is back inside the overall Top 10 and leads the reinvigorated pickup charge in spite of sales down 2% to 6.056. This is still double the deliveries or any other pickup truck in the Chinese market. The Wingle 5 is followed by the JMC Baodian, Dongfeng Rich, ZX Auto Grand Tiger, the Great Wall Wingle 6 up 39% to 2.067 units and the Foton Tunland up 44% to 1.563. Further down, the Huanghai N2-Series (1.236) and Chana Shenqi F-Series (1.081) are new for 2016.

Previous month: China LCV April 2016: Mini trucks surge 39%, pickups back in positive

One year ago: China LCV May 2015: Foton Light Truck outsells all Wuling models

Full May 2016 Top 50 models Ranking Table below.

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China August 2016: Focus on the All-new models

China August 2016: Second consecutive month up 26% – SUVs up 44%

China LCV July 2016: Pickups up 26%, Mini Trucks up 12% in market down 11%

China July 2016: Focus on the All-new models

China July 2016: Tax cut triggers 26% gain, fastest pace in 3.5 years

China 1st Half 2016: Tax cut, SUV wave spur 8% gain to record 12.8m

China LCV June 2016: Pickup sales surge 36%

China June 2016: Focus on the All-new models

China June 2016: Market up 18%, next wave of Chinese SUVs arrives

China LCV May 2016: Minitrucks outsell minivans, pickups up 11%

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