China October 2012: Ford Focus #1, only one Japanese in Top 50!

Ford Focus

* Now updated with the Top 280 All-models and Top 35 best-selling brands! See title *

If last month the effects of the China/Japan diplomatic tensions over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands could be felt, in October it becomes truly critical. Honda is down 54% year-on-year, Toyota down 44% and Nissan down 41%. In fact at 202,042 passenger car sales, Volkswagen sold twice as many cars as all Japanese carmakers put together this month, Audi sold more than any Japanese brand and Hyundai sold more cars than Nissan, Toyota and Honda put together at 80,598 units… The only Japanese model to rank within the Top 50 best-selling models in October is the Nissan Sylphy at #30 with 8,670 units. The Toyota Camry follows at #52, Honda CR-V at #58, Mazda6 at #61 and Honda City at #67.

VW Lavida

Back to the top of the ranking where the Ford Focus enjoys its third consecutive month in pole position and 4th time in the last 5 months. With 33,614 sales in October it improves slightly on its best-ever monthly result (33,587 in September) and becomes just the 2nd model in the history of automobile in China to sell over 30,000 monthly units more than once. The other model is the BYD F3 which last passed this benchmark in March 2010. Note that the Focus represents 77% of Ford’s total sales of locally produced models in China this month…

Boosted by the new generation, the VW Lavida is up one spot on last month to #2, a ranking it had not reached since last February. With 30,637 sales it beats it monthly record (25,072 in November 2010) by over 5,000 units and becomes the 5th passenger car to sell more than 30,000 monthly units after the BYD F3, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Sail (last May) and VW Passat (last January).

VW Passat

Volkswagen is the big winner in the China/Japan diplomatic row, placing no less than 8 models in the Top 16. The VW Passat is back up to #3 at 27,437 sales while the VW Sagitar is up to #5, delivering its highest ever volume at 22,401 units. The VW Bora is up 3 ranks to #8, the Jetta down one to #9 as the new generation is about to hit dealerships, the Tiguan up 7 to #12, the Magotan up one to 13 and the Polo up 2 to #16. Check out my China: Volkswagen who’s who article to become an expert on all VW models sold in China.

Kia K3

The Top 2 best-sellers in the 2012 year-to-date ranking are slightly weaker this month: the Buick Excelle is #4 and the Chevrolet Sail #6 but they are keeping the Ford Focus at bay for now at 237,859 and 232,483 sales respectively so far this year vs. 221,130 for the Focus. Notice also the Hyundai Elantra Langdong (new generation) up 5 spots to a best-ever #11 with 18,207 units, the Hyundai ix35 up to #21 vs. #46 year-to-date, the BYD F3 Surui (new generation) up 11 ranks to #31 with 8,565 sales for its 2nd month in market, the Roewe 350 up 16 to #35, Great Wall Haval M4 up 10 to #37 and the Baojun 630 up 13 to #46.

Venucia R50

The best-selling Chinese passenger car is the Emgrand EC7 for the 2nd consecutive month and the third time ever after last June at #15 with a record 16,481 sales. It is followed by the Great Wall Haval H6 at #18, the Chery QQ at #23, the FAW Xiali N3/N5 at #26, Great Wall Voleex C30 at #27 and Chery Fulwin 2 at #28.

ChangAn CS35

New model-wise, the Kia K3 lands directly at #63 with 5,405 sales, the ChangAn Yuexiang V3 is up 23 spots to #74, the Soueast V5 Lingzhi up 56 to #76 and the Brilliance H230 up 7 to #78. The Venucia R50 sells 984 units for its first month in market, adding up to 3,312 and #113 with the B50 sedan version, while the ChangAn CS35 arrives at #175 with 927 sales.

Previous month: China September 2012: Island diplomatic row sends ranking wild!

One year ago: China October 2011: Baojun 630 and Brilliance H530 take off

Full October 2012 Top 280 models and Top 35 brands Ranking Tables below.