November 2023 Mid-Size SUV Sales: Toyota Yaris Cross Surges Ahead, Outpacing Kia Seltos in Popularity.

The Vietnamese automobile market is entering a acceleration phase due to the high year-end shopping demand. This has helped many car models grow strongly in November 2023. The B-segment SUVs are no exception.

B-segment SUV sales in November 2023 (unit: cars)

Hyundai Creta: 1,218 cars

In November 2023, the sales of Hyundai Creta decreased slightly by 1.3% to 1,218 cars. However, this Korean model still maintains its position as the best-selling B-segment SUV, just like in October 2023. At the same time, Hyundai Creta continues to be on the list of the top 10 best-selling cars in Vietnam in November, ranking 6th in the overall market.

During the 11 months of this year, Hyundai Creta achieved a sales volume of 8,766 cars. With this number, Hyundai Creta has the potential to surpass Toyota Corolla Cross and become the best-selling B-segment SUV in Vietnam in 2023.

The success of Hyundai Creta is a combination of many factors such as youthful and fashionable design, reasonable price, and well-equipped features. As a domestically assembled car, Hyundai Creta also enjoys a 50% reduction in registration fee under the government’s policy.

The notable features of this Korean model include a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment display, Apple Carplay/Android Auto connectivity, 8-speaker audio system, leather seats with heating/cooling, 6 airbags, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance (BCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LFA), Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance (RCCA), etc.

Under the hood of this Korean model is a Smartstream 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.5L, delivering a maximum power of 115 hp and a peak torque of 144 Nm. The engine is combined with an intelligent variable transmission (iVT) and front-wheel drive.

Toyota Yaris Cross: 1,092 cars

When it comes to the most impressive growth in the Vietnamese market in the past month, we cannot ignore the Toyota Yaris Cross. In November 2023, this model sold 1,092 units, a staggering increase of 364.6% compared to the previous month. This remarkable success helped the Toyota newcomer rise to the 2nd position in the segment, surpassing even the Kia Seltos.

This result is partly due to Toyota Yaris Cross’ attractive promotion program. In November 2023, this B-segment SUV continued to receive a 100% registration fee reduction with a value not exceeding 73 million VND for the petrol version and 86 million VND for the hybrid version. In addition, customers who purchase the Toyota Yaris Cross will also receive an additional 2-year comprehensive insurance package worth 23.3 million VND. Therefore, the total value of incentives for this model amounts to 100 million VND.

Toyota Yaris Cross in Vietnam currently has 2 variants and a price range of 730 – 850 million VND. Although the price is relatively high, the car is equipped with full features even in the standard version, such as full LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch wheels, LED taillights, a 7-inch TFT digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display, wireless phone charging, interior ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera, and standard ADAS advanced driving-assistance systems.

Depending on the version, the car can be fitted with a 1.5L petrol engine or a hybrid powertrain. The 1.5L petrol engine produces a maximum power of 105 hp and a peak torque of 138 Nm, combined with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Meanwhile, the hybrid powertrain combines a 1.5L petrol engine with an output of 90 hp, an electric motor with a maximum power of 79 hp, and a lithium-ion battery.

Kia Seltos: 1,054 cars

The strong rise of Toyota Yaris Cross pushed Kia Seltos down to the 3rd position in the segment. This Korean model achieved a sales volume of 1,054 cars in November 2023, a decrease of 3.39%.

Similar to Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos is also highly regarded for its good design, reasonable price, and sufficient equipment. The car is equipped with LED headlights, 17-inch wheels, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display, automatic air conditioning, and a 6-speaker audio system.

However, Kia Seltos lacks advanced safety features compared to many competitors in the same segment, with only 2-6 airbags, parking assist sensors, electronic stability control, hill-start assist control, and a rearview camera. The car does not have active safety features like many competitors in the same segment.

Additionally, the Kia Seltos has two petrol engine options: a 1.6L engine and a 1.4L turbocharged engine. The naturally aspirated 1.6L engine produces a maximum power of 121 hp and a peak torque of 151 Nm. The figures for the turbocharged 1.4L engine are 138 hp and 242 Nm. Both engines are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Currently, the Kia Seltos has a total of 8 variants with prices ranging from 599 – 724 million VND.

Honda HR-V: 443 cars

In contrast to the two Korean competitors, the Honda HR-V showed positive growth in November 2023. Specifically, the sales volume of this Japanese model reached 443 cars, a 21.3% increase. However, this growth was not enough for the Honda HR-V to improve its position in the segment.

Honda HR-V has a relatively high price in the segment, ranging from 699 – 871 million VND. This also makes it difficult for the car to achieve high sales figures.

On the other hand, the Honda HR-V has an attractive design, convenient and modern features, and a high level of safety. The Japanese model is equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with new smart air vents, electronic parking brake, and temporary brake hold, as well as the standard ADAS advanced driving-assistance system package.

Honda HR-V in Vietnam has two engine options. The first one is a 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine with a maximum power of 119 hp and a peak torque of 145 Nm. The corresponding figures for the 1.5L turbocharged engine are 174 hp and 240 Nm.

Toyota Corolla Cross: 355 cars

In the first months of 2023, the Toyota Corolla Cross consistently ranked as the best-selling B-segment SUV. However, in recent months, this model has continuously lost its top position to Korean competitors. Moreover, the Toyota Corolla Cross has lower sales volume than the Honda HR-V, with 355 units sold in November. Despite an increase of 11.9% compared to the previous month, the sales volume of this model remains the highest in the segment.

Similarly to the HR-V and the Yaris Cross, the Toyota Corolla Cross does not have a competitive advantage in terms of pricing, ranging from 760 – 955 million VND. However, this model convinces Vietnamese consumers with its reputable brand, high practicality, fuel-efficient engine, spacious dimension, and sufficient interior space in the segment.

The model is equipped with features such as a 7-inch multi-information display, a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display, leather seats/power-adjustable seats, a 6-speaker audio system, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, and the standard Toyota Safety Sense active safety technology package.

When buying this model, Vietnamese customers can choose between two engine options. The first one is a 1.8L petrol engine combined with a CVT-i continuously variable transmission, producing a maximum power of 140 hp and a peak torque of 172 Nm. The second one is a hybrid powertrain, including a 1.8L petrol engine, delivering a maximum power of 97 hp, an electric motor with a peak power of 79 hp, and a lithium-ion battery. This powertrain is paired with an e-CVT transmission and achieves a maximum torque of 163 Nm.

Mazda CX-30: 229 cars

The Mazda CX-30 continued its growth in November 2023. This model achieved a sales volume of 229 cars, an increase of 10%. However, the sales volume of this Mazda model is still relatively modest, which has not changed its position in the segment.

Not long ago, the Mazda CX-30 had its price adjusted to a range of 689 – 729 million VND. Compared to the previous price, the car became more expensive by 25 million VND while the design and equipment remained unchanged.

The Mazda CX-30 has a fashionable appearance and many features such as steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster, an 8.8-inch infotainment display, an 8-speaker audio system, electronic parking brake with auto hold, a head-up display, 7 airbags, an adaptive headlights system, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, etc.

The “heart” of this model is a naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G 2.0L petrol engine, producing a maximum power of 153 hp and a peak torque of 200 Nm. The engine is combined with a front-wheel drive system and a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Mazda CX-3: 91 cars

Similar to the previous months, the Mazda CX-3 continues to be the model with the lowest sales volume in the segment. This model achieved a sales volume of 91 cars in November 2023, a decrease of 9%.

The Mazda CX-3 was recently added with a 1.5L AT standard variant with a price of only 524 million VND. The remaining three variants of the car increased by 8 – 10 million VND to a range of 559 – 644 million VND. With the new standard variant, the Mazda CX-3 becomes the most affordable B-segment SUV in Vietnam. However, this cannot eliminate the major drawback of the Mazda CX-3, which is its cramped interior space.

Compared to its sibling, the CX-30, the Mazda CX-3 has less impressive features and a less powerful engine. Specifically, the Mazda CX-3 uses a SkyActiv-G 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine with a maximum power of 110 hp and a peak torque of 144 Nm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission with a Sport mode and a front-wheel drive system.

In addition, the car also has active safety features in the i-Activsense package such as blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert, etc.