In December 2023, the Vietnamese car market experienced strong growth thanks to end-of-year shopping. This was evident in most car segments, with MPVs being a typical example. In December, all MPV models in Vietnam saw an increase in sales, with Mitsubishi Xpander and Suzuki Ertiga being particularly strong.
| No. | Model | December 2023 | November 2023 | Growth Rate | Cumulative 2023 |
| 1 | Mitsubishi Xpander | 2,809 | 1,467 | +91.4% | 19,740 |
| 2 | Toyota Veloz Cross | 1,670 | 1,116 | +49.6% | 9,318 |
| 3 | Hyundai Custin | 809 | 529 | +52.9% | 1,662 |
| 4 | Honda BR-V | 706 | 544 | +29.7% | 3,047 |
| 5 | Toyota Avanza Premio | 701 | 445 | +57.2% | 3,783 |
| 6 | Kia Carnival | 574 | 550 | +4.3% | 5,401 |
| 7 | Kia Carens | 441 | 337 | +30.8% | 3,766 |
| 8 | Hyundai Stargazer | 407 | 355 | +14.6% | 3,857 |
| 9 | Suzuki Ertiga | 292 | 121 | +141.3% | 1,104 |
| 10 | Toyota Innova Cross | 224 | 162 | +38.2% | 529 |
| 11 | Suzuki XL7 | 195 | 152 | +28.2% | 2,526 |
| 12 | Toyota Innova | 182 | 113 | +61% | 1,909 |
Sales figures for MPVs in December 2023 (in units)
Mitsubishi Xpander: 2,809 units
In the last month of 2023, Vietnamese customers purchased 2,809 Mitsubishi Xpander units, an increase of 91.4% compared to the previous month. With this result, the Mitsubishi Xpander continued to be the number one MPV in the segment. However, the Xpander was still unable to dominate the overall market in December 2023, as it was outsold by the Toyota Vios (3,022 units). Cumulatively, in 2023, the Xpander achieved sales of 19,740 units, making it the best-selling model in the market, although it experienced a 10.2% decrease compared to 2022.
Mitsubishi Xpander
It is no surprise that the Mitsubishi Xpander is popular in Vietnam. This model boasts a modern design, adequate features, and attractive prices ranging from 560 to 698 million VND, depending on the variant. Moreover, throughout 2023, this MPV regularly had official promotions to stimulate demand during the market downturn.
The Mitsubishi Xpander is powered by a 1.5L 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve gasoline engine, producing a maximum power of 105 horsepower and a peak torque of 141 Nm. The engine is paired with a front-wheel drive system and a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission.
Toyota Veloz Cross: 1,670 units
Similarly to November 2023, the second best-selling MPV in December was the Toyota Veloz Cross. The representative from Toyota achieved sales of 1,670 units, representing a 49.6% increase, partly due to the manufacturer’s official promotion campaign during December.
Therefore, the cumulative sales of the Toyota Veloz Cross in 2023 reached 9,318 units, a 33.9% decrease compared to 2022.
Toyota Veloz Cross
The strength of the Toyota Veloz Cross lies in its reputable brand, a rugged SUV-like MPV design, abundant features in its segment, and a reasonable price ranging from 658 to 698 million VND. Additionally, this model comes with Toyota Safety Sense active safety technology, automatic air conditioning, electronic parking brake, 9-inch touchscreen entertainment system, LED headlights, etc.
The Toyota Veloz Cross is equipped with a 4-cylinder 1.5L gasoline engine, producing a maximum power of 105 horsepower and a peak torque of 138 Nm. The engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Hyundai Custin: 809 units
In December 2023, the newcomer, Hyundai Custin, ranked third in the MPV segment in Vietnam with sales of 809 units, a 52.9% increase. This figure brought the cumulative sales for the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,662 units, surpassing its direct competitor, the Toyota Innova Cross.
Hyundai Custin
Launched in Vietnam in September 2023, the Hyundai Custin has three variants and prices ranging from 850 to 999 million VND. This MPV has a relatively large size, spacious 7-seater interior, and offers a variety of convenience, safety, and engine options.
The Hyundai Custin in Vietnam is equipped with LED headlights, 17-18-inch wheels, electric sliding side doors/electric tailgate, power-adjustable/heated/cooled front seats, a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 6 speakers, electronic parking brake, dual sunroof, rear sunshades, automatic air conditioning, air vents for all 3 rows of seats, and various charging ports.
Under the hood, the Hyundai Custin in Vietnam is powered by a 1.5L Smartstream G gasoline engine, generating a maximum power of 113 horsepower and a peak torque of 144 Nm. The engine is paired with an Intelligent Variable Transmission (iVT) and a front-wheel drive system.
Honda BR-V: 706 units
Similar to other MPV models in the segment, the Honda BR-V also experienced an increase in sales in December 2023. Specifically, this model achieved sales of 706 units, a 29.7% increase over the previous month.
In cumulative sales in 2023, Vietnamese customers purchased 3,047 Honda BR-V units. These figures may not be low, especially considering the higher price of this MPV compared to its competitors, ranging from 661 to 705 million VND. Furthermore, the Honda BR-V was only introduced in Vietnam six months prior.
Honda BR-V
Like the Toyota Veloz Cross, the Honda BR-V sports an impressive SUV-like MPV design and has advanced ADAS driving assistance features. It comes standard with the Honda Sensing safety technology package, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive High Beam (AHB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), and Low Speed Follow (LSF). The top-of-the-line variant is also equipped with 6 airbags and the Honda LaneWatch blind-spot monitoring system.
The Honda BR-V is powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC 4-cylinder DOHC gasoline engine, producing a maximum power of 119 horsepower and a peak torque of 145 Nm. The engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a front-wheel drive system.
Toyota Avanza Premio: 701 units
In December 2023, the Toyota Avanza Premio made a strong comeback with sales of 701 units, representing a 57.2% increase. This result pushed the cumulative sales figure for this model to 3,783 units for the whole year.
Toyota Avanza Premio
Starting from December 21, 2023, the Toyota Avanza Premio variant with manual transmission (MT) was temporarily suspended from sales in Vietnam due to the involvement in the Daihatsu emission and fuel consumption test scandal. However, Toyota Vietnam did not issue a recall for the Avanza Premio MT, as it was only affected by emissions and fuel consumption tests that had no impact on safety testing.
The Toyota Avanza Premio is essentially a cheaper version of the Veloz Cross. The Avanza Premio has a less impressive design and features, but it is more affordable, ranging from 558 to 598 million VND. The engine of the Avanza Premio is the same as the Veloz Cross, but it comes with a manual transmission. Additionally, the Avanza Premio does not have the same advanced active safety features as its sibling.
Kia Carnival: 574 units
Unlike in November 2023, in December, the Kia Carnival dropped to sixth place in the MPV segment due to sales of only 574 units, a slight increase of 4.3%. Nevertheless, throughout 2023, Kia still sold 5,401 units of this large MPV.
Kia Carnival
It can be said that the Kia Carnival has been relatively successful in Vietnam, despite its higher price range from 1,189 to 1,799 billion VND. The highlight of this model lies in its spacious interior, abundant convenience and safety features.
The Kia Carnival in Vietnam is currently available in two engine options. The first is a 2.2L Smartstream diesel engine, producing a maximum power of 199 horsepower and a peak torque of 440 Nm, used in four lower variants. On the other hand, the top-of-the-line variant is equipped with a V6 3.5L Smartstream gasoline engine, with a maximum power of 268 horsepower and a peak torque of 331 Nm, combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Kia Carens: 441 units
Right behind the Carnival is its sibling, the Kia Carens. In December 2023, this compact MPV sold 441 units, an increase of 30.8%. The cumulative sales for the whole year of 2023 reached 3,766 units, lower than the Carnival even though it is significantly cheaper.
Kia Carens
The Kia Carens is one of the most widely varianted MPVs in Vietnam, with prices ranging from 589 to 859 million VND. Moreover, it is also one of the few MPVs available with a 6-seater configuration in Vietnam.
The Kia Carens features an impressive SUV-like MPV design and offers many convenience features, such as leather seats, a 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, an 8-speaker Bose audio system with an external amplifier, automatic air conditioning, lane-keeping assist, and a smart cruise control system. Unfortunately, the safety features of the Carens are relatively basic and do not include advanced driving assistance features (ADAS).
In addition, the Kia Carens offers various engine options, including a 1.5L natural-aspirated gasoline engine, a 1.4L turbocharged gasoline engine, and a 1.5L diesel engine. It is available with a 6-speed manual transmission, a 6-speed automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
Hyundai Stargazer: 407 units
The next MPV to experience sales growth in December 2023 is the Hyundai Stargazer. Compared to November 2023, the sales of this small MPV increased by 14.6% to 407 units. However, the total sales for the whole year of 2023 for the Stargazer remained low at 3,857 units.
Hyundai Stargazer
The Hyundai Stargazer is priced from 575 to 685 million VND. However, the actual selling price at dealerships is much lower, below 500 million VND for the base variant. Despite this, the Stargazer has failed to achieve significant sales, even trailing behind its newly launched sibling, the Custin, which is more affordable.
The biggest disadvantage of the Hyundai Stargazer is its exterior design. On the other hand, the interior offers a choice of a 6- or 7-seater configuration and various features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a rearview camera, wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto connectivity, remote engine start, wireless phone charging, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, automatic air conditioning, a cruise control system, and the Hyundai SmartSense active safety technology package.
The Hyundai Stargazer is powered by a 1.5L Smartstream G gasoline engine, generating a maximum power of 113 horsepower and a peak torque of 144 Nm. It is paired with an Intelligent Variable Transmission (iVT) and a front-wheel drive system.
Suzuki Ertiga: 292 units
In December 2023, the Suzuki Ertiga made a remarkable resurgence, outselling its sibling, the XL7, with sales of 292 units, a 141.3% increase. This makes the Ertiga the MPV with the highest growth rate in December. As a result, the cumulative sales in 2023 reached 1,104 units.
Suzuki Ertiga
This success was achieved thanks to the manufacturer’s promotions worth hundreds of millions of VND for the Ertiga. In January 2024, there was even a promotion program with a total value of 140 million VND. After the discounts, the price of the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid MT was reduced to 421 million VND, making it the most affordable MPV in Vietnam currently.
Despite its affordability, the Suzuki Ertiga offers relatively basic convenience and safety features compared to its competitors. The Ertiga is equipped with mild hybrid powertrain technology, including a 1.5L 4-cylinder DOHC gasoline engine with a maximum power output of 103 horsepower and a peak torque of 138 Nm. The engine is paired with either a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission.
Toyota Innova Cross: 224 units
Introduced to Vietnam in October 2023, the Toyota Innova Cross has not yet achieved significant sales figures. In December, this midsize MPV sold 224 units, representing a 38.2% increase. In the last three months of 2023, Vietnamese customers purchased 529 units of the Toyota Innova Cross, a modest number compared to the Hyundai Custin.
Toyota Innova Cross
With two variants and prices ranging from 810 to 990 million VND, the Toyota Innova Cross is equipped with LED headlights, LED position lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, a 7-inch multi-information display, a 10.1-inch touchscreen display, wireless smartphone connectivity, automatic air conditioning, electronic parking brake, hill-start assist control, and smart entry.
The Toyota Innova Cross is available with two engine options. The gasoline version features a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with a maximum power output of 172 horsepower and a peak torque of 205 Nm. Meanwhile, the hybrid version combines a gasoline engine with maximum power of 150 horsepower and a strong motor with 111 horsepower, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Suzuki XL7: 195 units
Unlike previous months, the Suzuki XL7 performed less well than its sibling, the Ertiga, with sales of only 195 units, a 28.2% increase. Nevertheless, the cumulative sales for the whole year of 2023 reached 2,526 units for the XL7.
Suzuki XL7
The Suzuki XL7 is priced from 599.9 to 639.9 million VND. Despite its affordability, this small MPV offers relatively basic safety features, including an anti-lock braking system (ABS), hill start assist, electronic stability program, a rearview camera, and 2 airbags.
The Suzuki XL7 is powered by a 1.5L 4-cylinder gasoline engine, delivering a maximum power output of 103 horsepower and a peak torque of 138 Nm. The engine is paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Toyota Innova: 182 units
The last MPV in the segment in terms of sales is the previous-generation Toyota Innova. In December 2023, a total of 182 units were sold, representing a 61% increase. For the whole year, the Innova achieved total sales of 1,909 units.
Toyota Innova
The appearance of numerous smaller, more attractive, and better-equipped MPVs has ended the golden age of the Toyota Innova. Therefore, in recent years, this MPV has continued to experience relatively low sales.
The Toyota Innova is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a maximum power output of 102 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and a peak torque of 183 Nm at 4,000 rpm. It is paired with either a 6-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Innova is currently priced from 755 to 995 million VND, not cheap for a model that has not been significantly updated in terms of design or features.
[CAR REVIEW] Toyota Veloz Cross: Safety, Durability, Reliability
Through real-life testing, the Toyota Veloz Cross has proven to be an excellent choice in the 7-seater multi-purpose vehicle segment, offering a range of advantages for family users. These include advanced safety technology, reliable performance, and spacious, convenient interiors.
MVP Car Sales September 2023: Mitsubishi Xpander Holds “King” Title, Honda BR-V Shines
In September 2023, Honda BR-V and Hyundai Stargazer emerged as the top performers in the MPV segment, experiencing the highest growth rates in Vietnam.
[Mitsubishi Xpander vs Toyota Veloz] Intense Battle – An In-depth Comparison
As we enter 2022, the MPV segment welcomes two extremely appealing newcomers – the Toyota Veloz and the updated facelift version of the Mitsubishi Xpander, which has enjoyed tremendous success over the past 3 years. These two “rivalry players” will be the main characters in the battle for the throne of the affordable 7-seater segment in the Vietnamese market.
[CAR REVIEW] Mitsubishi Xpander 2022: A Genuine Transformation
After a long 300km journey across various terrains: from urban roads, highways, to national and provincial roads, and even mountain passes; the 2022 Mitsubishi Xpander clearly demonstrates the practical strengths of a 7-seater multi-purpose vehicle.
Mitsubishi Xpander maintains its reign, continuing to dominate the MPV segment in September.
According to a report from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), the sales of Mitsubishi Xpander reached 1,918 units in September 2023.
