Vietnam’s car sales rise in October

Passenger cars accounted for 27,246 units, surging 33 percent, commercial vehicles reached 10,162 units, up 6.6 percent, while specialized vehicles totaled 502 units, down 15 percent month on month.

Between January and October, the total sales of VAMA members hit over 289,330 autos, up 9.5 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Specifically, passenger car sales rose two percent, the consumption of commercial vehicles grew 31 percent, while sales of specialized vehicles surged 76 percent.

Notably, 20,781 completely built-up (CBU) imports found buyers in October, a 28-percent month-on-month increase, while the consumption of locally assembled vehicles reached 17,129 units, up 19 percent.

This marked the eighth straight month that CBU imported cars had outsold locally assembled models.

During the 10-month period, locally assembled car sales totaled 137,047 units, up three percent, while 152,284 imported autos were purchased, a 17.5-percent spike compared to the same period last year.

Experts attributed this trend to Vietnamese consumers increasingly favoring imported vehicles for their wider variety, richer features, and more flexible pricing policies.

However, VAMA’s data did not cover the entire market, as major automakers VinFast and Hyundai reported their sales separately.

In the electric vehicle segment, VinFast continued to assert its dominance, becoming the first brand in Vietnam to surpass 100,000 units sold within the first three quarters of 2025.

The Vietnamese automaker has led total market sales for 11 consecutive months, maintaining a dominant market share in the electric vehicle segment and reinforcing its position as a national brand in the domestic automotive market.

Pre-Tet promotions boost market activity

As the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, approaches, Vietnam’s automotive market is heating up, with manufacturers and dealerships launching an array of promotions and registration fee support to stimulate purchases.

Ford Vietnam is offering full registration fee support for its Ranger pickup line, helping customers save VND42.5-130 million (US$1,610-4,930), depending on the model.

Mitsubishi Vietnam has slashed prices, with the Xpander Cross dropping below VND630 million ($23,865), the AT Premium to VND593 million ($22,460), and the 2024 Xpander MT to VND504 million ($19,110).

Buyers of the Xforce can enjoy a discount of VND60-70 million ($2,275-2,650).

Honda Vietnam provides similar incentives on models such as the HR-V, Civic e:HEV RS, City, and BR-V, enabling customers to save VND50-100 million ($1,890-3,780).

Suzuki has joined the promotion race with its XL7 Hybrid and Jimny models, offering full registration fee support and a 3.5-year maintenance package.

Auto experts described this period as a ‘golden time’ to buy a car, with the year’s deepest discounts making it easier for consumers to acquire new autos ahead of Tet, lasting from February 14 to 22.