China wholesales June 2020: Trucks (+63.1%), Honda (+25%) break records in strongest ever June volume (+11.6%)

Thanks partly to all-time high record sales of the new Breeze, Honda breaks its all-time wholesales volume record in June.

Chinese wholesales confirm their spectacular resurgence in June at +11.6% to 2.3 million units according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), an all-time record for the month eclipsing the previous high of 2.274 million from June 2018. June marks two consecutive months of double-digit year-on-year gains after May shot up +14.5%, and a third consecutive month in positive after April perked up +4.4% and following 21 straight months of decline dating back to July 2018. Like in April and May, this splendid result is helped by record commercial vehicle sales up 63.1% to 536.000 units after rising 48% in May and 31.6% in April. In particular, heavy-duty truck sales are propped up by the creation by the Chinese government of new infrastructure projects aimed at boosting the economy and gaining 63.3% to 169.000 units. Also, light commercials (and specifically mini trucks) are up 81.5% to 237.000, bolstered by new legislation making “street business” easier in order to favour economic recovery.

The new RAV4 (+48.3%) helps Toyota to its 2nd highest ever wholesales volume in China.

But for the second mont running, Passenger Cars (+1.8%) also secure a positive result at 1.764.000 units. The detail by PC segment is contrasted: SUV sales shoot up 10.5% to 822.000 units, edging pass cars (-4.9%) at 820.000 while MPVs are off -11.8% to 86.000 and microvans up 26.1% to 35.000, also benefitting from the new street business laws. Other Commercial Vehicle detail show pickup trucks up 74.5% to 57.000, semi-tractor trailers up 50.5% to 86.000 and buses off -0.1% to 43.000. New Energy Vehicles (NEV) mark 12 consecutive months of decline in June at -33.1% to 104.000 units including 82.000 BEV (-37.6%) and 21.000 PHEV (-6%) but reach 4.5% share, the highest level so far in 2020. The Passenger Car market share of Chinese brands is down from 38.5% in June 2019 to 33.5% this month.

The Tharu (+59.3%) edges Volkswagen (+0.4%) to its first gain of 2020.

Market leader Volkswagen (+0.4%) finally spits out a tiny year-on-year gain – its first of 2020 – thanks to strong outings by the Tharu (+59.3%), Sagitar (+28.1%), Tayron (+21.9%), Golf (+6%), Lavida (+5.7%) and Bora (+4.6%), the new Viloran MPV (record 3.289) and smaller players like the C-Trek (+357.8%) and CC (+51.2%). The German carmaker however continues to underperform, especially vs. its two closest followers Honda (+16.8%) and Toyota (+25%). Honda simply breaks its wholesales monthly volume record at 157.430, eclipsing a previous best (151.587) dating back to December 2015, thanks to a thriving SUV lineup including the XR-V (+176%), Vezel (+141.4%), UR-V (+37.7%) and a record-breaking Breeze (20.003), as well as the Elysion MPV (+281.4%), Accord (+7.9%), Inspire (+5.1%), Civic (+4.1%) and Odyssey (+3.9%). Toyota scores its second-highest volume of all time at 148.117 units (record is 158.069 in January 2019), boosted by a record-breaking Avalon (+118.6% to 13.245) and Wildlander (9.792) as well as the RAV4 (+48.3%), Corolla (+26.6%),Yaris L (+26.6%), IZOA (+15.3%), Levin (+8.6%) and Camry (+7.7%).

Tesla breaks its wholesales volume record to just under 15.000 units.

In fact the Top 11 carmakers for June are all in positive, with 5 of the following 8 marques sporting double-digit year-on-year improvements. Just outside the podium, Nissan (+9.2%) enjoys strong sales by the Tiida (+75.4%), Terra (+64.1%), Sylphy (+60.4%) and Teana (+19%) but the Qashqai (-36.8%) and X-Trail (-18.4%) struggle. Geely (+20.3%) secures a second straight month of 20%+ uptick thanks to the Vision X6 (+47.6%), Boyue (+46.4%), Emgrand (+44.4%), Vision X3 (+43.8%), Emgrand GS (+42.1%), Binrui (+32.9%) and the new Icon (record 3.735) and Haoyue (2.372). Buick (+8.4%) aligns a third straight year-on-year gain after 24 consecutive months of decline with the LaCrosse (+146.4%), Envision (+20.4%), GL8 (+10.5%) and new Encore GX (2.294), Encore (1.410) and Enclave (1.286) taking charge. Changan (+14.6%) continues to shine thanks to the renewed CS75 (+74.9%), Eado (+37.7%) and new UNI-T (record 7.414).

Hongqi secures a 13th volume record in the past 16 months.

Like in May the tail end of the Top 10 is occupied by the 3 German premium marques, but in a reverse order. BMW (+49.1%) is up two spots to #8 thanks mainly to the 3 Series (+524.9%) and X3 (+26.3%) being boosted by new generations, Mercedes (+22.6%) remains at #9 with the GLC (+36.7%), E-Class L (+18.5%) and new GLB (record 5.800) performing best while Audi (+11.7%) drops two to #10 as the A6L (+92%), Q3 (+70%) and Q2L (+44.1%) pull sales up. It’s outside the Top 10 that casualties add up, with GAC (-43.6%), Dongfeng (-42.7%), Chevrolet (-34.8%), MG (-26.6%), Skoda (-26.3%) and Baojun (-21.4%) hit the hardest and Mazda (+32.3%), Ford (+14.9%), Roewe (+13.2%), Cadillac (+8.4%), Wuling (+8.1%), Haval (+3.8%) and Kia (+0.5%) the only gainers in the remainder of the Top 25.

The new 05 lifts Lynk & Co up 52.7%.

Jetta remains the most popular brand launch of the past 12 months, just above Tesla breaking its volume record at 14.954 while Hongqi (+92.6%) manages an incredible 13th all-time volume record in the past 16 months at 15.420 thanks to mainly to the HS5 SUV (+281.1%) hitting a record 9.239 units but also the H5 sedan (+30.6%) and HS7 SUV (+722.7%). Lynk & Co (+52.7%) hits its largest volume since last November thanks to a solid start by the 05 coupe SUV (record 3.306), a 03 sedan on fire (+117.7%) and a great hold by the 02 SUV (+14.1%). COS (+873.1%) continues to surge thanks to the X7 (7.007), the brand’s only true success so far, Bestune (+59.2%) and SWM (+50.4%) gallop ahead while NIO (3.740), Lincoln (3.349), VGV (2.176) and Ciimo (1.268) all break records. We welcome Leap Motor (#65) and Aiways (#79) in the wholesales charts.

The Nissan Sylphy outsells the VW Lavida by a record 18.000 units in June.

Looking at the models ranking, the Nissan Sylphy (+60.4%) scores an 8th win in the past 11 months and its most dominant victory ever, selling 18.000 units more than its archenemy the VW Lavida (+5.7%) and taking a decisive advantage towards a first annual win in China. The Toyota Corolla (+26.6%), VW Bora (+4.6%) and Honda Civic (+4.1%) ensure the Top 5 is 100% sedans, in fact only the Haval H6 (-14%) manages to end inside the Top 10, with 9 sedans in the Top 10 including the Honda Accord (+7.9%) up 29 spots on May to #10. The Changan CS75 ranks #2 SUV again ahead of the Geely Boyue, Honda Breeze, CR-V and Vezel. Other volume record-breakers include the Jetta VA3 (4.628), Lincoln Corsair (3.059) and Roewe Clever (2.316). Below the Honda Breeze (#14), Tesla Model 3 (#32) and Toyota Avalon (#38), the Toyota Wildlander (#55), Changan UNI-T (#71), Mercedes GLB (#86) and Dongfeng Aeolus Hyun (#99) are the other recent launches making it into the June Top 100.

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Full June 2020 Top 98 All China-made brands and Top 455 All-models below.