China imports May 2022: Jeep (+28.9%) only gainer in the Top 20 in market sinking -31.8%

Jeep Wrangler sales double year-on-year in a market down -31.8%

54,080 new car imports hit Chinese roads in May, that’s a hefty -31.8% year-on-year decline bringing the year-to-date volume down -27.6% to 293,438. Adding to the current lockdowns and parts shortage is the progressive transition of some strong selling import models towards local manufacturing, such as the BMW X5. As such, BMW (-49.6%) loses half its May 2021 volume and falls to #4 for the month. Lexus (-27.4%) and Mercedes (-22.7%) top the chats while Porsche (-4.6%) resists best in the Top 6 and accelerates to #3 overall. Audi (-54.9%) flounders but Toyota (-3%), Volvo (-23.3%) and Land Rover (-29.5%) resist better than the market below. Whereas its locally-made wholesales have dropped to just one unit, Jeep (+28.9%) is the only year-on-year gainer in the Top 10 and Top 20 as far as imports are concerned. The only other lift is managed by Ferrari (+65.2%), just as Bentley (-0.7%) scores a stable result.

Over in the models ranking, the Lexus ES (-15.1%) cements its domination by losing half the year-on-year market rate and is followed by the Lexus RX (-5.6%) doing even better. The Mercedes GLE (+5.9%) and Porsche Cayenne (+28%) both go against the market with year-on-year upticks. The Mercedes S-Class (-21.7%) stays in 5th place above the Porsche Macan (-39.2%) and Toyota Alphard (-17.2%). The Porsche Panamera (+24.3%) also manages a year-on-year uptick at #8 as does the Mercedes GLS (+17.4%) at #10. Below, notice the BMW 4 Series (+48.8%), Land Rover Defender (+21.2%), Jeep Wrangler (+96.3%) and BMW X7 (+7.2%) also in positive. As mentioned above, the BMW X5, now produced locally, drops -83.1% year-on-year and 22 spots on April to #28.

Previous month: China imports March 2022: Market collapses -47.7%, Land Rover (-24.9%) best holder in Top 10, Mercedes Mayback S-Series stuns

One year ago: China imports May 2021: Lexus monopolises podium in market down -11.5%

Full May 2022 Top 32 All-brands and Top 140 All-models below.