The Vietnamese auto market experienced mixed results in the first half of 2025. While overall sales reached 254,293 vehicles, a 42% increase compared to the same period last year, brands like Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, and Suzuki saw declining sales.

Here's a breakdown of the growth of each brand, ranked in descending order:

Hyundai, the third-highest selling brand in the first half of 2025 with 24,204 vehicles sold, experienced a 1% decline compared to the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, its main combustion engine competitor, Toyota, saw a 31% increase, reaching 29,274 vehicles sold.

Kia, another Korean brand, experienced a sharper decline of 12%. Previously a top-three contender (before VinFast released its sales figures), Kia now ranks fifth, falling behind Ford and Mitsubishi. This decline affects Truong Hai, the assembler and distributor of Kia vehicles.

This downward trend for both Korean brands isn't new, starting in 2023. Despite overall market growth in the first half of 2025, sales for both Hyundai and Kia remained stagnant or declined sharply, mirroring previous trends.

A customer examines a Carens at a Kia dealership in Binh Duong. Photo: Pham Trung

A customer examines a Carens at a Kia dealership in Binh Duong. Photo: Pham Trung

The declining sales for Hyundai and Kia are attributed to weaker performance in key segments like A-segment hatchbacks, B-segment sedans, and B-segment CUVs.

In the A-segment hatchback category, while the Hyundai i10 and Kia Morning still lead, competing primarily with the Toyota Wigo, the i10's sales reached 1,594 vehicles in the first half of 2025. This marks a 22% decrease compared to the first half of 2024 and a 59% decrease compared to the first half of 2023. Similarly, Morning sales reached 174 vehicles, down 10% and 81% compared to the same periods in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

In the B-segment sedan category, the Hyundai Accent, once a strong competitor to the Toyota Vios, now trails behind by almost 1,500 vehicles. In the B-segment CUV category, the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, once dominant, have seen significant sales drops, allowing competitors like the Toyota Yaris Cross and Mitsubishi Xforce to take the lead.

Industry experts suggest that the price, equipment, and operating cost advantages of Hyundai and Kia's smaller vehicles are becoming less competitive as VinFast, Chinese, and Japanese brands introduce new products with similar approaches. In trending segments like MPVs and B-segment CUVs, models like the Hyundai Stargazer and Creta, and Kia Carens and Seltos, are losing ground to competitors.

While Korean cars still perform well in the A+ segment CUV category, with models like the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet, their contribution to overall sales remains small. Moreover, they face stiff competition from the all-electric VinFast VF 5, which boasts significantly higher sales figures.

Across the market, Suzuki also experienced declining sales. The brand is restructuring its product portfolio, with several truck models currently discontinued pending new releases. Their key passenger car model, the XL7, has seen a substantial drop in sales. In the latter half of 2025, Suzuki plans to introduce the Fronx, a new A+ segment CUV.

Among the brands experiencing growth, VinFast stands out. With over 67,000 vehicles sold in the first half of 2025, VinFast saw a threefold increase compared to the same period last year. Three of its models, the VF 3, VF 5, and VF 6, feature in the top 10 best-selling vehicles. Both the VF 3 and VF 5 sold over 20,000 units, a record for any single model in the first half of a calendar year.

Toyota maintains its position as the best-selling combustion engine brand. The company recently reached the milestone of one million vehicles sold in early July, a record for the Vietnamese auto industry. Toyota continues to dominate segments like B-segment sedans and small CUVs with models like the Vios, Yaris Cross, and Corolla Cross.

Ford achieved record sales in the first half of 2025, with over 17,600 vehicles sold. The Ranger and Everest lead their respective segments.

Thanks to the consistent performance of the Xpander and the contribution of the Xforce, Mitsubishi maintains a mid-tier position among the highest-selling brands in Vietnam. Mazda continues to rely on the CX-5 and Mazda2 as its sales pillars. Honda's performance is largely driven by the locally assembled B-segment sedan, City, and the C-segment CUV, CR-V, which is both locally assembled and imported.

Thanh Nhan