Mitsubishi Xpander retained its position as the best-selling conventional petrol-powered vehicle last month, with total sales reaching 1,273 units. — BNEWS/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — While Việt Nam’s automobile market slowed last month, the hybrid vehicle segment emerged as a bright spot with growth of 86 per cent in the first four months of the year. 

The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) announced on Tuesday that sales by its member companies recorded 31,937 vehicles of all types sold in April, down 17 per cent from the previous month.

Nevertheless, Việt Nam’s automobile market still maintained positive momentum during the first four months, supported by consumer demand and the appeal of several newly launched models. 

Of the total April sales, passenger vehicles accounted for 21,284 units, down 14 per cent month-on-month; commercial vehicles 9,805 units, a decline of 26 per cent; and special-use vehicles 848 units. 

Overall, in the first four months of this year, total sales by VAMA members reached 126,794 vehicles, up 25 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Passenger vehicle sales rose by 18 per cent, commercial vehicles by 38 per cent, while special-use vehicles recorded a sharp increase of 119 per cent. 

Imported completely built-up vehicles continued to grow faster than domestically assembled models.

By the end of last month, sales of locally assembled vehicles went up 16 per cent year-on-year while imported units soared by 32 per cent. 

Among manufacturers, Toyota remained the market leader with 6,378 vehicles delivered to customers in April and cumulative sales of 23,263 units during the first four months. Mitsubishi ranked second, followed by Ford and THACO Mazda. 

By model, Mitsubishi Xpander remained the best-selling vehicle last month, with 1,273 units sold. Its cumulative sales for the first four months reached 5,504 units. 

Meanwhile, the hybrid segment continued to stand out.

Hybrid vehicle sales reached 1,723 units last month, up 53 per cent year-on-year, while four-month sales totalled 6,848 units, jumping 86 per cent. Popular models include Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, Toyota Innova Cross Hybrid and Honda CR-V Hybrid. 

However, industry experts noted that VAMA’s figures do not yet fully reflect the scale of Việt Nam’s automobile market as several brands outside the association, including Audi, BYD, Jaguar Land Rover, Geely, Lynk & Co, Omoda & Jaecoo, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Volkswagen and Volvo, have yet to release their business results. 

In addition, Hyundai Thành Công previously announced its April sales of 3,904 vehicles, bringing its cumulative sales for the first four months to 17,402 units. Meanwhile, VinFast has not yet disclosed its sales figures though it currently holds a significant share of Việt Nam’s electric vehicle market. — VNA/VNS