China 2000: Changan Star takes the lead, VW Santana still best-selling Passenger Car

The Changan Star is the best-selling vehicle in China in 2000.

1,869,329 new vehicles hit Chinese roads in 2000, a solid 15.5% improvement on a year ago. Volkswagen (+3.2%) only manages a small uptick and remains the most popular carmaker in the country. Changan (+18.7%) advances one spot to #2 while Hafei (+47%) is up four ranks to #3. FAW Tianjin (-18.6%) is in difficulty and down two spots to #4. FAW (+30.6%) and Wuling (+33%) improve twice as fast as the market while Jinbei (+42.9%) breaks into the Top 10 and Dongfeng (+18.5%) manages a solid result. Citroen (+17.1%) becomes the 2nd best-selling foreign manufacturer at #11, passing Suzuki (+6%) just as Honda (+169.8%) and Buick (+54.1%) power ahead. Notice also the arrival of Geely at #24 with 11,425 sales.

For the first time, a Light Commercial Vehicle takes the lead of the models charts: the Changan Star (+16.5%) is the best-selling vehicle in the country above the Hafei Carry (+45.7%), another LCV and a rebadged Suzuki Carry. The VW Santana (-19.5%) takes a big hit and falls to #3 but remains the  #1 Passenger Car above the VW Jetta (+23.7%), still gearing up at #5 overall. The Foton Forland (+10.7%) is sandwiched by the two aforementioned models at #4. For their part the FAW Tianjin Xiali (-17%) and VW Santana 2000 (-12.6%) are in trouble below. The Wuling Van (+106.7%) is up 8 spots on 1999 to enter the Top 10 at #10. The Citroen ZX Fukang (+18.7%) is up to #12. The VW Passat reappears directly at #18.

Full Year 2000 Top 69 All brands and Top 178 All models below.