Auto sales down 3 pct in 2021

Auto sales in Vietnam last year dropped 3 percent from 2020 to 383,444 units as the fourth Covid-19 wave forced dealers to shut down.

The sales figure is a combination of data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), TC Motor, and VinFast.

VAMA, which includes Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco), Toyota, and Honda, saw 277,203 units sold, down 2 percent from the previous year.

TC Motor, which distributes Hyundai cars, saw sales declining 13.3 percent to 70,518 units.

VinFast posted a growth of 21.2 percent to 35,723 units.

In the third quarter last year, most auto units in the south were shut down as the Delta variant spread.

But a 50 percent reduction in the registration fee, which came into effect in December and will last until the end of May this year, pushed up sales.

VAMA members sold 43,526 units in December alone, the highest last year. December was the fourth month in a row that auto sales rose.

Most media representatives of auto brands in Vietnam expect a recovery in sales this year as the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be under control.