April-Disappointing month for local auto sales

Total auto sales in April decreased by 20 percent from March and 37 percent from the same period last year, says the latest report by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (VAMA).

Accordingly, 18 VAMA members sold 6,004 vehicles this month, 1,541 units less than the previous month and 3,554 units less than a year earlier.

Sales of Complete Knock Down (CKD) vehicles saw a sharp decline of 24 percent against March, with 5,504 CKD units, while those of Completely Built Unit vehicles was down 23 percent to 1,478 units.

In January, VAMA set a record low of selling only 4,274 vehicles, the lowest level over the past three years. It then rose gradually to 6,116 units in the following month.

VAMA’s total sales in the first four months of this year reached 24,102 vehicles, tumbling 36 percent from the same period last year with sales in the personal car (PC) segment down 41.7 percent, Multi-purpose Vehicle (MPV), Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and cross-overs were down 48 percent, and truck, pick-up and van down 29 percent.