China's passenger car market witnessed a significant decline in sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles over the past six years. This shift coincided with the penetration of new energy vehicles (NEVs), which reached 59% by 12/2025, thereby reshaping demand across key market segments, according to a report by Autohome.

The decline in ICE vehicle sales represents a decrease of about 7 million units over six years, or 39%. This transition occurred alongside broader changes in consumer purchasing behavior and the rapid adoption of electrified powertrains in China's passenger car market.

Nissan Sylphy – the top-selling gasoline car in China in 2025. Photo: TMC

Among the top 10 best-selling ICE models in 2025, joint venture brands occupied most positions from 6th to 10th. Volkswagen Magotan achieved sales of 202,000 units, an increase of 15,6% compared to the same period in 2024. Volkswagen Tiguan L sold approximately 200,000 units, growing by 18,9%, while Toyota RAV4 sold around 200,000 units, increasing by 5,6%. Toyota Camry reached nearly 210,000 units in sales, with a 32% growth, and Volkswagen Passat achieved nearly 230,000 units, a decrease of 7,7%.

Chinese brands secured two positions in the top 5. Geely Xingyue L recorded sales of 240,000 units, an 11% increase. Geely Boyue sold 230,000 units with a 148% growth, which was also the highest growth rate among the leading ICE models.

The three top ICE models in 2025 were Volkswagen Sagitar, Volkswagen Lavida, and Nissan Sylphy. Sagitar achieved sales of 256,000 units. Lavida sold 270,000 units, a 16,2% decrease, and Sylphy reached 320,000 units in sales, with a 6,5% decline.

Historical comparisons show that several leading ICE models have experienced substantial long-term sales declines. Nissan Sylphy decreased from a peak of 538,000 units in 2020 to 320,000 units in 2025, while Volkswagen Lavida fell from nearly 500,000 units in 2019 to 270,000 units in 2025.

The 2025 rankings indicate that leadership in ICE vehicle sales remains concentrated among established joint venture and domestic brands, despite the overall market contraction.

My Anh