China wholesales January 2021: Market up 30%, Toyota, Changan, Audi, BMW and Mercedes break volume records

March 10, 2021
Matt Gasnier

The Changan CS75 smashes its record volume by almost 10.000 units.

With some delay due to Chinese New Year holidays, we can share with you today China wholesales data (ex-factory shipments) for January. The market surges 30% to over 2.5 million units, the best February since 2018, as year-ago volumes were impacted by the Chinese New Year holiday, in February in 2021. Passenger Vehicles gain 27% to come just under 2.05 million units while Commercial Vehicles are up a stunning 43% to 458.000. Electrified vehicle wholesales shoot up 239% (or 3-fold) to 179.000 including 151.000 BEV (+288%) and 29.000 PHEV (+105%). Once again, it’s a month to forget for market leader Volkswagen (-5.6%) enduring the only year-on-year decline in the Top 15. Great results by the Magotan (+106.8%), Polo (+69.3%), Sagitar (+49.6%), Phideon (+35.9%), Bora (+29.2%) and Santana (+19.4%) are neutralised by freefalls for most of the carmaker’s SUV lineup: the Tharu (-78.4%), Tayron (-63.3%), T-Roc (-56.2%), Tiguan L (-37.9%), Teramont (-35.8%), Tacqua (-10.8%) all suffer, as do the Lamando (-94.3%), Passat (-87%), CC (-39.7%) and Golf (-34.7%).

Toyota breaks its Chinese monthly volume record…

In contrast, Toyota (+20.7%) breaks its all-time volume record at 172.045 thanks to strong performances by the IZOA (+87%), Camry (+36.2%), RAV4 (+26.7%), Levin (+19.4%) and Wildlander (record 12.271). This is the closest Toyota has been to becoming the #1 carmaker in China. Honda (+15.6%) is relegated to third place above Geely (+26.2%) up two spots on December to #4. Changan (+94.7%) is up four ranks to #5 and almost doubles its volume year-on-year, helped by all-time records by the CS75 (42.171) smashing its previous best by almost 10.000 units, the Eado (23.537) and UNI-T (11.868). Below Nissan (+26.9%) matching the Passenger Vehicle market, Haval soars 60.9% as its best-seller the H6 is up 75.5% and the Big Dog breaks its volume record again at 10.305. Buick (+26.2%) also evolves roughly like the PV market at #8.

…as does Audi…

A remarkable feat, Audi (+48.5%) BMW (+45.9%) and Mercedes (+39.9%) all break their all-time volume records this month. Audi is helped by the Q5L (+91%), A4L (+58.1%), A6L (+57.8%), Q2L (+47.7%) and Q3 (+36.2%). BMW is driven by the X2 (+327.6%) 3 Series L (+84.8%), 5 Series L (+43.9%), X1 (+35.1%) and Mercedes is propelled by the GLA (+7291.3%), EQC (+161.4%), A Class L (+89.9%), GLB (+32.6%) and C Class L (+26.8%). Wuling (+374.2%) lodges a spectacular uptick thanks to the success of the Hongguang MINI EV posting yet another record volume at 36.762 as does the Victory at 10.117. BYD (+68%) and Chery (+62%) also shine below. Hongqi (+157.6%) smashes its all-time volume record by almost 7.500 units at 32.526 thanks to new records by the HS5 (14.345), H5 (11.657) and H9 (4.504) and the arrival of the E-HS9 pictured below. Lynk & Co (25.501), COS (24.549), Volvo (17.977) and NIO (7.225) are also at their all-time best while Tesla remains the most popular recent launch just as the Model Y makes its first appearance in the charts. Peugeot (+107.7%) seems to have finally bottomed out.

…and Hongqi.

Over in the models ranking, the Nissan Sylphy (+55.4%) easily retains the top spot above the Haval H6 (+75.5%) and the VW Lavida (+17.8%). The Changan CS75 (+63.6%) is up to a record 4th place overall ahead of the VW Sagitar (+40.6%) and Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, also breaking its ranking record at #6. Other all-time volume record-breakers not yet mentioned include the Geely Binyue (16.052), Geely Xingrui (14.160), COS X5 (13.127), BYD Han (12.103), Lynk & Co 03 (10.085), GAC Trumpchi GM8 (5.590), Roewe Clever (5.176), Xpeng P7 (3.710), SOL A5 (3.575) and Bestune B70 (3.081). Among newcomers for February, the WEY Tank 300 (6.018), Haval First Love/Jolion (5.614), Tesla Model Y (1.641) and Audi Q3 Sportback (1.639) stand out.

The WEY Tank 300 has landed in the Chinese wholesales charts.