According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, CBU automobile imports in the first quarter reached 56,012 units, an increase of nearly 21% compared to the same period in 2025. China recorded the highest growth among the top three countries exporting vehicles to Vietnam.

Automobile imports from China into Vietnam totaled 17,168 units in the first three months of 2026, marking a 73,3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Conversely, imports from Thailand decreased by 18,7% in volume, reaching 13,077 units. Indonesia remained the largest exporter of automobiles to Vietnam with 23,402 units, an increase of 27,5%.

The Customs Department reported that trucks largely drove the sharp increase in automobile imports during the first quarter of 2026. Passenger cars alone accounted for approximately 65% of total imports, equivalent to 36,388 units.

For many years, truck imports from China have overwhelmingly outnumbered those from other countries in Vietnam. In the passenger car segment, an increasing number of Chinese brands are entering the market, distributing electric and hybrid models manufactured in China. This trend contributes to the growing volume of vehicles imported into Vietnam.

Automobiles imported from Thailand are primarily passenger cars. The volume of imports from this country has tended to decrease as many models sold in Vietnam have shifted to domestic assembly or imports from Japan.

A batch of Lynk & Co vehicles imported from China to Vietnam in early 2026. *Photo: Lynk & Co VN/FB Community*

For example, products from Subaru and Suzuki are no longer imported from Thailand due to factory closures there. The popular Ford Ranger is largely assembled at a factory in Hai Duong. The Toyota Corolla Cross, once a top seller, has seen a sharp decline in sales. The Honda CR-V hybrid has also shifted from being imported from Thailand to domestic assembly.

A representative from a Japanese automaker stated that car imports in March reached 25,255 units, a sharp increase of nearly 57% compared to the previous month. This surge occurred as many companies prepared inventory for the second quarter, a period after the Lunar New Year holiday when purchasing power begins to recover.

The 56,012 automobiles imported into Vietnam in the first quarter totaled approximately 1,33 billion USD. This calculates to an average car price of about 23,748 USD, or nearly 594 million VND at the current exchange rate.

Pham Trung