Summary: MPV-related complaints in 2016

A total of 647 complaints were filed by Chinese consumers concerning MPV models in 2016, Gasgoo.com (Chinese) reported, citing statistics compiled by leading domestic vehicle complaint information site 12365auto.com. A total of 45 MPV models received complaints in 2016, five more models than were complained about in 2015. The vehicles which received the highest number of complaints were domestic own brand models.

Obviously it should be unsurprising that the majority of MPV complaints were centered around own brand models considering that they make up the vast majority of the MPV segment. According to statistics, nine of ten 10 best selling MPV models in the country came from domestic own brand manufacturers. What is worth mentioning is that many of the top selling models were also the recipients of high numbers of complaints.

Among them was the highly popular SAIC-GM-Wuling Baojun 730, which received a total number of 221 complaints in 2016, the highest among all MPV models. The Baojun 730 was also the MPV with the most complaints lodged against it in 2015. It was followed by the Shanghai VW Touran, complaints of which fell in number from the previous year. Also returning from last year’s top 10 list was the Changan Oushang, purchasers of which reported problems with vibrations originating from the engine and paint cracking.

Complaints of all types increased in number from 2015 to 2016. Quality-related and service-related complaints increased by 53 cases and 11 cases, respectively, while there were 48 more miscellaneous complaints.

The majority of complaints were still related to engines, transmission systems and steering systems, with a large number of those being of abnormal sounds or vibrations coming from the engines or transmission systems.

The MPV market is primarily split into two tiers, with joint venture and import vehicles making up most of the premium models available, while own brand models dominate the economy segment. According to statistics compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, a total of 2.46 million MPVs were sold in 2016, up 25.8% from the amount sold the previous year. Among those, 89.6% of the MPVs sold in 2016, totaling 2.23 million vehicles, were own brand models. What is concerning is that a full 80.9% of all the complaints raised against MPV models were targeted towards own brand models. The complaints ranged from abnormal sounds from the engines, transmissions and suspensions systems to the body rusting and paint cracking. The wide range of problems are evidence that own brands still need to improve when it comes to quality of manufacturing, assembly and selection of component suppliers.