China 1996: VW Santana 2000 up to #2 in soft market

The VW Santana 2000 is cannibalising Santana sales.

The Chinese new vehicle market continues to slow down its growth in 1996 to just +5.4% year-on-year at 1,326,831 sales. The Top 5 most popular brands all outpace the market. Volkswagen (+26%) tightens its grip on the charts, leaving FAW Tianjin (+16.1%) reeling. FAW (+25%) stays in third place while Wuling (+46.4%) climbs four spots on last year to #4. Finally Changan (+5.5%) just edges past the market growth. In contrast BAW (-16.6%), Yuejin (-15.7%), Foton (-38.6%) and Hafei (-10.1%) all sink. Changhe (+61.9%) rounds out the Top 10 as VW is the only foreign brand in the Top 12, the next best foreigner being Mitsubishi (#13).

Model-wise, the VW Santana (-12.8%) loses ground as it is now cannibalised by the new VW Santana 2000 (+176.6%) up to #2 for the year. The FAW Tianjin Xiali (+33.1%) is still in great shape and advances two spots on last year to return to the podium at #3. The FAW CA1046 (+13.6%) is also up, by three ranks, to #4 as is the Changan Star (+5.5%) at #5. 

Full Year 1996 Top 66 All brands and Top 163 All models vs. Full Year 1995 figures below.