
Vietnam's automotive market: Increased production, sharp price reductions.
The automotive market saw strong growth in April and a series of attractive discounts from car manufacturers in May.

The automotive market saw strong growth in April and a series of attractive discounts from car manufacturers in May.

The upcoming "newcomers" to the market come from various segments, ranging from sedans to SUVs.

Many car manufacturers are offering strong incentives for imported car models, such as waiving 50-100% of registration fees, to stimulate demand and compete with domestically assembled and manufactured vehicles.

According to the General Department of Customs, in October, the number of completely assembled cars imported into Vietnam unexpectedly increased by nearly 30% compared to the previous month, equivalent to an increase of nearly 2.200 units.

Following its brand launch in Vietnam on September 23, 2023, Skoda introduced two models, the Kodiaq and Karoq, at prices considered reasonable.

Despite a slight increase in the domestically assembled car segment, the overall car supply in May continued its downward trend as the estimated volume of imported vehicles is expected to be lower than the previous reporting period.

According to the General Statistics Office, an estimated 10.000 complete cars were imported into Vietnam in January, less than half the number imported in December 2022.

The unit value of imported cars in September was quite low, averaging only about 460 million VND per unit.

The General Department of Taxation has recently issued a document requesting the Tax Departments of provinces and centrally-administered cities to strengthen tax management for imported automobiles and motorcycles not intended for commercial purposes.

The total number of private cars with 9 seats or fewer undergoing initial registration in the first half of 2022 reached 211.985 vehicles, with Hanoi continuing to lead and Nghe An ranking in the top 5.

Despite the complicated situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of imported complete cars reached a record high (160.035 vehicles), far exceeding the 2020 figure (105.000 vehicles).

Most of the imported car models that increased in price this time are expensive SUVs not for the masses, but there is one exception: the gasoline version of the Toyota Fortuner.

In the first half of October 2021, a total of 8.197 complete automobiles of all types, with a total value of nearly 175 million USD, were imported into Vietnam.

In the first half of the year, imported cars continued to be the highest-growing item in terms of both quantity and value.

According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, in the first half of May, car imports into Vietnam surged again, by more than 166%.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that it will hold an auction for import tariff quotas on used cars in May 2021.

China has risen to become Vietnam's second-largest export market for completely assembled automobiles, with imports from the country increasing from 1.158 to 1.463 units.

While in previous years, the volume of imported cars increased sharply in the fourth quarter, in 2020, the number of cars imported into Vietnam is trending downwards.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) has proposed a 50% reduction in registration fees for imported vehicles, making them the same as those for domestically produced vehicles, in order to create a level playing field in business.

By mid-June 2020, the whole country had imported 38.123 complete automobiles of all types, a decrease of nearly 32.000 vehicles compared to the same period in 2019.

A business registered a customs declaration at Huu Nghi border gate (Lang Son) to import 41 15-seater passenger cars, but was held up due to Joint Circular No. 25/2010.

In early January 2020, the number of fully assembled cars with 9 seats or fewer decreased by as much as 65,5% compared to the same period last year, ranking first among imported car models in the Vietnamese market.

According to data from the General Department of Customs, 2.317 vehicles were imported into Vietnam in the first 15 days of 2020.

With imported cars soon to be inspected by type, instead of by batch as currently, will the price of imported cars drop significantly in the near future?

In August 2019, the number of imported cars arriving in Vietnam decreased from 12.000 units per month to 9.000 units.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, more than 87.000 complete automobiles of all types were imported into Vietnam in the first seven months of the year.

Imports of completely assembled cars remained high in June with 13.000 units, worth approximately $292 million.

In the first quarter of 2019, sales of domestically assembled vehicles decreased by 8%, while sales of imported vehicles increased by 234% compared to the same period last year.

During the first working week of the new year, more than 1.500 complete vehicles were cleared through customs at Hiep Phuoc port (Ho Chi Minh City), most of them originating from ASEAN countries.

The volume of imported cars into Vietnam increased sharply towards the end of the year, while domestic car prices remained almost unchanged.