Car sales are difficult due to 'ghost month', imported cars still dominate

The "ghost month" (the 7th lunar month) causes car purchases to drop, but imported cars still dominate. Despite the drop in sales, many imported car models continue to be popular.

The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association has just reported a significant drop in car sales in August - Photo: CONG TRUNG

The automotive market slows down due to the seventh lunar month.

According to a report by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), the Vietnamese automobile market in August 2025 recorded a significant decline compared to the previous month, but still maintained slight growth compared to the same period last year.

Total sales of VAMA members reached 25,973 vehicles in August, a decrease of 18% compared to July, but still an increase of 3% compared to the same month last year.

Passenger car sales decreased by 22%, commercial vehicle sales decreased by 5%, and specialized vehicle sales decreased by as much as 53%. Cumulative sales for the first eight months of 2025 reached 220,733 vehicles, a strong increase of 16.8% compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, commercial and specialized vehicle sales recorded high growth rates of 33% and 58%, respectively.

However, August falls within the "ghost month" (the seventh lunar month), causing a significant decrease in purchasing power.

Many popular models like the Mitsubishi Xpander and Xforce, which used to sell 2,000 units per month, have seen sales drop to around 900 units. Some models have sold fewer than 10 units, such as the Honda Accord (3 units), Corolla hybrid (4 units), and Kia Morning (5 units).

Imported vehicles outnumber domestically assembled vehicles.

Notably, for six consecutive months, the number of imported vehicles sold has consistently exceeded that of domestically assembled vehicles. In August alone, 13,302 imported vehicles were sold, nearly 700 more than the 12,671 domestically assembled vehicles.

Since the beginning of the year, imported cars have reached 115,242 units, a significant increase of 21.5% compared to the same period last year, while domestically assembled cars have reached 105,491 units, an increase of 13%. This shows that Vietnamese consumers still prefer imported cars.

Amid declining consumer demand, automakers are stepping up new product launches and offering aggressive promotions to stimulate sales.

On September 11th, Skoda introduced the Slavia B-segment sedan, its fourth model in Vietnam and its second domestically assembled product at the Thanh Cong factory in Quang Ninh . With three versions priced from 468 to 568 million VND, the Slavia directly competes with the Toyota Vios, Hyundai Accent, and Honda City.

Many manufacturers are simultaneously offering discounts and registration fee support. Toyota is applying a discount of up to 100% of the registration fee for the Vios, Veloz Cross, and Avanza Premio (equivalent to 54-75 million VND). Some models such as the Corolla Cross, Camry, and Fortuner are also seeing price reductions of 8-12 million VND.

Ford is equally competitive with a program offering a 100% registration fee discount for Ranger Sport and Wildtrak models, and a 50% discount for Ranger Raptor and XLS models…

Automotive experts predict that after the seventh lunar month, along with a series of policies supporting fees, preferential interest rates, and the appearance of new cars, the Vietnamese automotive market will regain its vibrancy in the fourth quarter, the peak shopping period at the end of the year.

CONG TRUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/kho-ban-xe-vi-thang-co-hon-xe-nhap-khau-van-chiem-uu-the-2025091215001158.htm