Summary: Chinese sedan market in September

Sedan sales in China slightly recovered again in September. However the total volume for the first nine months of the year was still down from the previous year. According to statistics from Gasgoo.com (Chinese), a total 1.16 million sedans were sold in the country in September, up 4.7% year-on-year. Sedan sales accounted for 50.7% of all passenger automobiles sold in the country over the course of the month, up 0.6 percentage points.

Own brand automobiles ranked third in overall sedan sales, surpassing American brand sedan sales. As before, German sedan sales topped the charts, totaling 399,185 units, up 14.5% year-on-year. German brands accounted for just over a third of all sedans sold in the country. Japanese brand sales totaled 243,449 units, increasing 8.9% year-on-year. Meanwhile own brand and American sedan sales totaled 207,847 units and 195,771 units, representing year-on-year growth rates of 0.7% and 4.9%, respectively. Meanwhile Korean and French sedan sales continued to fall, respectively decreasing 37.7% and 16.4% year-on-year.

The A-class segment accounted for the majority of sedan sales in September at 64.3%; however, there was almost no growth from last year, with sales this month totaling 749,924 units. A0-class sedan sales totaled 133,791 units, increasing 7.8% year-on-year, while B- and C-class sedan sales grew around 10% each, totaling 197,508 units and 54,240 units respectively. A00-class sedan sales over doubled, but still remain very low at just under 31,000 units.

FAW Volkswagen sold the most sedans in September, with its monthly sales totaling 185,073 units, up 15.9% year-on-year. It was followed by Shanghai VW, Shanghai GM, Dongfeng Nissan, Changan Ford, Beijing Hyundai, Geely, FAW Toyota, Guangqi Honda and Guangqi Toyota. Shanghai VW’s sales increased 12%, surpassing Shanghai GM with a total of 166,503 units. Shanghai GM’s sales increased 8.6% year-on-year, totaling 132,105 units. 

Dongfeng Nissan followed behind the big three, with its sales totaling 70,203 units, up 6.9% year-on-year. Following behind the JV was Changan Ford, whose sales totaled 63,666 units, down 2.1% year-on-year.

Geely once again ranked as the month’s best-performing own brand seller of sedans, selling a total of 52,519 units, representing year-on-year growth of 18.9%. Geely was surpassed by Beijing Hyundai, whose sales totaled 57,138 units, 14.9% less than the amount sold a year ago.

The VW Lavida was the month’s best-selling sedan model; it was followed by the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy, VW Sagitar, Buick New Excelle, Ford Escort, VW Jetta, Toyota Corolla, VW New Santana, VW Bora and SAIC-GM-Wuling Baojun 310.

The VW Lavida’s sales totaled 53,520 units, up 34.7% year-on-year. In second place with 39,789 units was the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy, up 5.7% year-on-year. In third place was the VW Sagitar, sales of which totaled 39,358 units, up 15.3% year-on-year. In fourth was the Buick New Excelle, whose sales totaled 36,045 units.

The best-selling own brand sedan of the month was the SAIC-GM-Wuling Baojun 310, whose sales totaled 21,705 units, over tripling from last year. The Baojun 310 surpassed the previous best-selling Geely Emgrand EC7, whose sales totaled 21,138 units.