- China’s passenger car market swung sharply in September as overall retail sales plunged 28% year-on-year while A0-class sedans surged, reflecting price-sensitive demand and a shift toward affordable, localized EV models.
- A0-class sedan wholesale reached 250,000 units in September, up 55% year-on-year, with Geely Xingyuan selling 60,900 units, BYD Dolphin 35,100 units, and Wuling Binguo 28,200 units.
- The growth targets mainstream EV rivals such as BYD and Wuling in the entry segment, but execution risks include concentrated model reliance, production scaling, and sustaining demand amid weak overall retail consumption.
Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), has released September 2026 data for China’s passenger vehicle market by segment.
Overall retail sales fell 28% year-on-year in September, while wholesale sales declined 9%. Retail performance remained significantly weaker than wholesale, extending the market’s ongoing split between sluggish domestic demand and stronger overseas sales.
By segment, larger and premium A0-, B- and C-class SUVs posted strong wholesale growth, while demand for conventional sedans and mini and small MPVs weakened. A-class and A00-class sedans also came under retail pressure, leaving A0-class sedans and premium models as key supports for the retail market.
A0-class sedans stood out as one of the strongest entry-level segments. Wholesale volume reached 250,000 units in September, up 55% year-on-year, while cumulative sales rose 43%. The segment was the only passenger vehicle category to sustain strong growth.
Geely Xingyuan led the segment by a wide margin, selling 60,900 units in September. BYD Dolphin followed with 35,100 units, ahead of Wuling Binguo at 28,200. New models such as the Leapmotor A05 also gained traction quickly, while the conventional gasoline-powered Baojun 310 struggled to keep pace.
Domestic new energy vehicles now dominate the A0-class sedan market, with sales increasingly concentrated among leading models.
SUVs remain a key pillar of China’s passenger vehicle market, with A0-class models posting particularly strong results.
BYD Yuan UP topped the A0-class SUV segment in September with 62,700 units, up 121% year-on-year. Nevo Q05 recorded cumulative sales of 152,600 units, up 747%, while Geely Binyue reached 232,700 units cumulatively. MG ZS sales rose 27% year-on-year.
Competition in the A-class SUV segment, a major part of the family-car market, has also become more uneven, with new energy vehicles gaining momentum. BYD Song remained the segment leader, with cumulative sales of 559,700 units. September sales reached 69,300 units, up 64% year-on-year.
Chery Tiggo 7 ranked second, with cumulative sales of 269,400 units, up 49%. Geely Galaxy Starship 7 rose 58% year-on-year to rank seventh. Jetour Traveller and Deepal S05 grew 59% and 49%, respectively, while BYD Sealion 06 climbed to 12th place after sales surged 86%.
By comparison, Geely Boyue recorded cumulative sales of 208,800 units, up just 1%. Geely Xingyue and Toyota RAV4 sales fell 32% and 15%, respectively. Domestic new energy models continue to widen their lead, leaving joint-venture gasoline SUVs under mounting competitive pressure.
New energy vehicles have further consolidated their position in the B-class SUV segment. Tesla Model Y sales reached 62,900 units in September, up 5% year-on-year, keeping it well ahead of competitors.
Among domestic new energy models, Fangchengbao Ti7 sold 32,100 units in September, up 295%, ranking second. BYD DaTang sold 13,000 units to rank fourth.
Li Auto L6 and AITO M9, by contrast, saw their cumulative sales fall 61% and 39% year-on-year, respectively. Mercedes-Benz GLC sales declined 21%. New energy vehicles are driving most of the growth in the B-class SUV segment, while sales become increasingly concentrated among leading models.
The sedan market showed a clear divide by segment. A-class sedans remained under pressure, with most mainstream models recording year-on-year declines.
BYD Seal 06 ranked first in cumulative sales at 164,000 units, down 28% year-on-year. Geely Emgrand EC7 and Volkswagen Lavida ranked second and third, each with more than 130,000 units sold. Emgrand EC7 sales fell 4%, while Lavida dropped 34%.
Nissan Sylphy, Volkswagen Sagitar and BYD Qin also recorded varying degrees of decline. The A-class sedan segment currently lacks a strong model capable of driving broader growth.
The B-class sedan market remained divided, with both new energy vehicles and joint-venture gasoline models facing growth pressure. Tesla Model 3 led with cumulative sales of 265K units, up 16% year-on-year. It was the only model among the segment’s leading sellers to post positive growth.
Xiaomi SU7 ranked second with cumulative sales of 133,800 units, down 39% year-on-year. Volkswagen Magotan and Geely Xingrui ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat and BMW 3 Series sales fell 16%, 38% and 23%, respectively.
The MPV market also remained under pressure, with mixed results among leading models. Wuling Xingguang ranked first with cumulative sales of 61,200 units, followed by Toyota Sienna at 60,300 and Buick GL8 at 53,300. Sienna sales fell 13% year-on-year, while GL8 declined 39%.
Denza D9 recorded more than 50,000 cumulative sales, down 36% year-on-year. Wey Gaoshan also exceeded 50,000 units, but grew 77%. Toyota Granvia, VOYAH Dream and GAC Trumpchi GM8 all posted substantial declines.
China’s passenger vehicle market showed no broad-based recovery in September. Instead, performance diverged sharply by segment. Entry-level models faced greater pressure, while A0-class sedans and mid- to high-end SUVs showed greater resilience.
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