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