New vehicle sales in Vietnam declined by 2.8% to 20,106 units in April 2019 from 20,678 units a year earlier, according to wholesale data released by the Vietnam Automotive Manufacturers Association (VAMA).

The slight decline in April followed a 25% bounce in the first quarter of the year from sharp declines a year earlier when the introduction of new regulations had a severe impact on vehicle imports. Economic growth in Vietnam remained strong in the first quarter at an estimated 6.8% year on year, though moderately slower than the 7.1% growth reported in the fourth quarter of 2018. 

Vehicle sales in the first four months of 2019 were up by 18% at 93,403 units from 79,219 units a year earlier, driven by a 34% jump in passenger vehicle sales to 70,553 units. Commercial vehicle sales were almost 14% lower at 22,850 units in this period, however.

Truong Hai (Thaco) group, the local assembler and distributor of brands such as Kia, Mazda and Peugeot and a significant player in the commercial vehicle segment, reported an 8.6% drop in group sales to 30,784 units in the four month period. Mazda sales were up by 8.1% at 12,105 units, while Kia sales increased by 9.9% to 9,952 units.

Toyota remained the leading vehicle brand in the country in the first quarter, with sales rebounding by close to 38% to 23,155 units from depressed year earlier volumes, while Honda's sales jumped by close to 64% to 10,443 units. Ford 's sales also recovered strongly, by almost 43% to 9,660 units, while GM's sales continued to plunge – by 69% to 952 units.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.