China Retail August 2019: Mercedes (+24.6%), Volvo (+10.5%) impress in market freefalling down -20.1%

Baojun introduces the new RC-6 in China…

The Chinese Retail market (end-customer registrations) continues to suffer from pulled forward sales in June ahead of the Stage 6 emissions standards implementation on July 1: after freefalling -20.4% in July, the market sinks another -20.1% in August to 1.438.543 units, tilting the year-to-date tally back into negative at -1.8% to 13.383.721. The 4 most popular brands however manage to contain their loss to below the market rate, starting with market leader Volkswagen (-13.9%) whose Tayron (16.406), T-Cross (4.483) and Teramont X (1.459) set new volume records just as the Bora (+20.7%), Passat (+12.3%), T-Roc (+257.9%) and CC (+153.1%) post outstanding gains. Honda (-4.9%) scores the smallest drop in the Top 6 thanks to surges by the Crider (+58.3%), CR-V (+39%), Accord (+24.7%) and Avancier (+20%).

…as well as the new RM-5, but can’t avoid a -26.7% loss.

Toyota (-12.6%) endures its first year-on-year loss since last February and first double-digit drop since 2017 as the new Avalon (5.081), C-HR (+163.4%), IZOA (+115.1%), Yaris L (+12.6%) and Levin (+1%) fail to compensate for heavy losses by the Corolla (-41.6%), Prado (-33.9%), RAV4 (-24.9%) and Highlander (-17.9%). Nissan (-6.6%) resists well thanks to the Kicks (+59.1%), Lannia (+46.2%) and Tiida (+36%) but it’s Mercedes (+24.6%) that posts the only gain in the Top 26 thanks to the new A-Class (5.198) and solid results by the GLC (+16.8%), C-Class (+13.8%), GLA (+9.8%) and E-Class (+7.3%).

Maxus lauches the new G20 MPV.

Audi (-8.2%) also resists but Buick (-30.8%), Geely (-24.7%), Hyundai (-20.5%) and Changan (-15.7%) are all hit hard in the remainder of the Top 10. The year-on-year gains are extremely rare further down and include Volvo (+10.5%) at #27, Hongqi (+269.2%) for the first time inside the Top 30 brands with a record 9.423 units, WEY (+1.3%), Borgward (+252.6%), Maxus (+11.6%) and NIO (+72.2%). Jetour (#37) again tops new brand launches above Bestune (#44), COS (#54), Ora (#55), Exeed (#61), Weltmeister (#65), Dorcen (#78) and Neta (#82).

The VW Lavida tops Chinese registrations in August.

Over in the models ranking, the VW Lavida (-14.9%) reclaims the top spot it holds YTD off the Nissan Sylphy (-21.2%) with Volkswagen completing the Top 4 with the Bora (+20.7%) and Sagitar (-23.3%) and the Toyota Corolla (-41.6%) rounding out the Top 5 despite a scathing loss linked to its generation changeover. There is only one SUV in the Top 11: the Honda CR-V (+39%) and one MPV: the Wuling Hongguang (+0.8%)… the rest are all sedans including the Honda Civic (+3.7%) and Toyota Levin (+1%) managing slim upticks.

Mercedes surges 24.6% in a market down -20.1%.

The VW Tayron (#14) is the most popular new launch (<12 months) ahead of the Chevrolet Monza (#25), Geely Binyue (#42), VW Tharu (#43), Changan CS35 Plus (#50) and BYD Song Pro (#61) new for the month. There are a handful of nameplates making their first appearance in any Chinese ranking this month: the Changan CS75 Plus (#271) and rather illogically before wholesales, the Maxus G20 (#401), Baojun RC-6 (#481) and RM-5 (#511).

Previous month: China Retail July 2019: Hongqi (+85.8%), Mercedes (+22.3%), Toyota (+4.9%) impress in market logically down -20.4% post Stage 6 implementation

One year ago: China Retail August 2018: Crisis deepens – market down -10.1%

Full August 2019 Top 110 All China-made brands and Top 636 All models below.