China new models October 2022: Chery Arrizo 8 and VW Tavendor appear

Chery Arrizo 8

After reviewing October 2022 Chinese wholesales, we now analyse the new locally produced models for the month. This way you can stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the largest and most dynamic market in the world. This month we have 9 new models hitting Chinese roads, 5 of them Chinese and 5 of them EVs, confirming two long term trends at play in the Chinese market.  To thoroughly understand the dynamics at play in China, make sure you consult our Exclusive Guide to all 192 active Chinese Brands

1. Chery Arrizo 8 (4,516 sales)

Just when we thought Chery’s Arrizo sub-brand, dedicated to sedans, was slowly dying as only the Arrizo 5 remained on sale, here comes the new flagship Arrizo 8. It measures 4.78m long and offers plenty of leg room for the back passengers. The cockpit features a dual 12.3 inch instrument panel screen. Both driver and front passenger seats are adjustable electronically. It is powered by a 197 hp 1.6 turbocharged engine. Priced from 108,900 to 132,900 yuan (14,775-18,000€ or US$15,400-18,800), the Arrizo 8 will compete with the likes of the Geely Xingrui (113,700-145,700 yuan), Changan UNI-V (108,900-139,900 yuan), Changan Raeton Plus (99,900-122,900 yuan) and Peugeot 408 (105,700-159,700 yuan). As far as the bar for success is concerned, the Arrizo 8 would do well to keep that initial level in the long term

Bar for success: 4,500 monthly sales

2. VW Tavendor (812 sales)

Yet another SUV by Volkswagen in China, this one built by the FAW-VW joint venture. It is the equivalent of the SAIC-VW Teramont as it uses the same platform (the MQB Evo). It is a 4.936 m long 5-seater, a 7-seater variant will be sold later. Power comes from either a 186hp 2.0 turbocharged engine or a 220hp  2.0 turbocharged engine. The Tavendor is priced from 274,900 to 325,900 yuan (37,300-44,200€ or US$38,900-46,100). This is to be compared with 295,000-405,000 yuan for the Teramont, 285,000-395,000 yuan for the Teramont X and 299,900-407,900 yuan for the Talagon. It will compete with such models as the TANK 500 (335,000-395,000 yuan), Ford Explorer (309,800-379,800 yuan) and Honda Avancier (224,800-332,800 yuan). In terms of sales potential, the VW Teramont peaked at 11,238 sales in November 2017, so we’d want roughly half of that to call the Tavendor a success.

Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales

3. Denza D9 (350 sales)

Yet another huge-grilled MPV, the D9 is Denza’s third ever vehicle after the 500 launched in 2014 and the X launched in 2020. Denza used to be a 50/50 joint venture between BYD Auto and Daimler AG but BYD now owns 90%. It has never lived up to its factory’s capacity of 40,000 annual units, failing to ever cross the 5,000 annual sales mark. While the X hasn’t had any wholesales since last January, the D9 has the hard task of keeping the brand alive. It has an DM-i PHEV version powered by a 139hp 1.5 turbocharged engine and two EV versions: a 313hp and 374hp. Priced from 329,800 to 459,800 yuan (44,750-62,400€ or US$46,650-65,050), the D9 will compete with the likes of the Voyah Dreamer (369,000-689,900 yuan), Buick GL8 (232,900-533,900 yuan) and Toyota Sienna (309,800-405,800 yuan). We’d want it to reach 2,000 monthly wholesales to call the D9 a success.

Bar for success: 2,000 monthly sales

4. Livan 9 (36 sales)

Livan is a new EV brand, the fruit of a joint venture between Geely and Lifan. Livan models are produced in the same factory as Maple. The 9 SUV is the first Livan model but is in fact a Geely Haoyue EV. At least it is a mid-sized SUV, a format Chinese consumers have been gobbling up for years. Its interior is also on-par with the current standards with two digital screens, one for infotainment and one for the instrument panel. It adds a touch of originality with the steering wheel and a stripe spanning the width of the dashboard replicating the seats’ colour. The 9 is priced at 199,800 yuan (27,100€ or US$28,300) and will fight this month’s market best seller the BYD Song Plus (152,800-216,800 yuan), GAC Aion V (187,600-269,800 yuan) or Leap Motor C11 (179,800-239,800 yuan).

Bar for success: 1,500 monthly sales

5. Wuling Air (1 sale)

This an odd appearance with just one sale for a model launched last June. Surfing on the huge success of the Hongguang Mini EV, Wuling has unveiled the Nano (not in the wholesales charts yet) and this Air. The three models are based on the SAIC group Global Small Electric Vehicle platform. The Air sports a much more striking design than its two counterparts which is a measured risk for Wuling. Its cockpit features a dual digital instrument panel which is remarkable for such a cheap vehicle. Speaking of which, there is no price listed yet for the Air in China but as a comparison the Hongguang Mini EV costs 32,800 to 99,900 yuan and the Nano is at 56,800 to 66,800 yuan. The Air should compete with the Chery QQ Ice Cream (39,900-57,500 yuan), Changan Lumin (48,900-63,900 yuan) and to a lesser extent the Baojun Kiwi EV (77,800-113,800 yuan). Note the Wuling Air has been on sale in Indonesia where it is assembled from knocked down kits from China. The Air was also imported to Egypt as the Chevrolet Spark RV as ride hailing vehicles during the COP27 in November 2022.

Bar for success: 6,000 monthly sales

Dongfeng EV Nano Box

Other models appearing in the wholesales charts this month are models we know already: the Dongfeng EV Nano Box (a slightly modified Dacia Spring, 1,951 sales), the Nissan Ariya (456 sales), new generation Kia Sportage (390 sales) and Toyota bZ4X (7 sales).

Nissan Ariya