Imported Cars Dominate, Vietnam’s Auto Market Explodes in Year-End Surge

In September alone, over 30,000 vehicles were sold, marking the highest monthly sales since the beginning of the year.

According to the latest data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), total sales in September reached 30,688 units, an 18% increase compared to the previous month. Fully imported vehicles (CBU) dominated with 16,261 units, a 22% rise, while domestically assembled vehicles (CKD) saw a 14% increase.

In the first nine months of the year, imported vehicles reached 131,503 units, a 17% increase, significantly outpacing the 6% growth of domestically assembled vehicles (119,918 units). Many dealerships in Ho Chi Minh City report a noticeable improvement in customer visits and purchases, particularly in the SUV and hybrid segments.

A customer in Ho Chi Minh City shared that he had been considering buying a car since the beginning of the year but waited until the end-of-year price drops. With the increased availability of imported vehicles and more attractive promotions, he decided to purchase a car costing over 1.2 billion VND, including registration fees.

The director of a car showroom in Ho Chi Minh City noted that the market is in a “tug-of-war” between imported and domestically assembled vehicles, with imported vehicles clearly taking the lead. This is due to the strong recovery in supply, stable logistics, and faster, more consistent port arrivals.

Additionally, Chinese automotive brands are aggressively expanding into the Vietnamese market, offering a wide range of new models across segments, from SUVs and MPVs to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), with competitive pricing strategies.

As October begins, the race for discounts and promotions continues to heat up. Many popular models and even vehicles priced over 1 billion VND are offering discounts ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of VND, along with various gifts and financial support.

For example, Mitsubishi Vietnam is offering a 100% waiver on registration fees, equivalent to a cash discount of up to 76 million VND, a 20 million VND fuel voucher, a 3 million VND maintenance voucher, and accessory gifts.
Toyota Vietnam is also offering discounts ranging from 46 to 77 million VND for models like Vios, Veloz, Avanza, Yaris Cross, Hilux, and Camry; with the Camry receiving the deepest discount of 77 million VND.
Honda Vietnam is providing support ranging from 50% to 100% of registration fees, equivalent to a discount of nearly 50 million VND for the City model, bringing the actual price below 450 million VND.

According to automotive industry insiders, never before has the market witnessed such a widespread and intense discount battle. The aggressive promotions and new product launches are seen as a strategy to boost year-end demand, capitalize on pre-Tet shopping waves, and clear inventory ahead of new product introductions in Q4.

Thanks to flexible pricing policies, abundant supply, and positive consumer sentiment, Vietnam’s automotive market is expected to maintain strong growth in the final months of the year, particularly in the imported and fuel-efficient vehicle segments.

TH (Tuoitrethudo)