South Korean media: "Surpassed by Chinese cars," the 28-year stronghold of Japanese vehicles has collapsed!
On April 6, South Korean media outlet *Herald Economic* published an article stating that Japan's long-standing dominance in the Australian market—lasting 28 years—has now crumbled. Since 1998, Japan had consistently led the imported car market, but it has now been overtaken by China.
According to new vehicle sales data released by the Australian Federation of Automotive Industries (FCAI), Chinese-made cars ranked first in imports with 22,362 units sold in February. Japanese-made cars fell to second place, selling just 21,671 units. Thailand came third with 19,493 units sold, followed closely by South Korea, which sold 11,913 units.
Chinese car sales in Australia saw a year-on-year increase of 50.5%, while Japanese car sales declined by 31.3%, and South Korean car sales dropped by 2.9%.
Chinese cars are extremely popular in Australia. Currently, four of the top ten best-selling car brands in Australia are Chinese brands. BYD is the leading Chinese automaker, selling 5,323 units in February—a 62.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
Chery Automobile recorded the highest growth rate. In February, Chery sold 3,938 vehicles, up 93.2% year-on-year. This performance enabled Chery to enter the top ten in brand sales rankings for the first time since entering the Australian market.
In particular, Chery’s compact SUV, the Tiggo 4 Pro, sold 2,315 units, ranking third among the most popular vehicles in Australia—behind the Ford Ranger (first) and Toyota Hilux (second). Great Wall Motors sold 4,689 units, surpassing Mitsubishi to claim seventh place in the brand sales ranking.
However, despite fierce competition from Chinese automakers, Hyundai Motor Company still maintained its leadership position. In February, Hyundai sold 6,266 vehicles, ranking fifth in brand sales.
Industry experts note that although Hyundai continues to perform well, it can no longer afford to be complacent. The gap between Hyundai and BYD is now only about 900 units. Kia ranked third with 6,710 units sold, including vehicles produced at Chinese factories.
Professor Kim Pil-soo from the Department of Future Automotive Engineering at Daehan University said: “Thanks to their cost-effectiveness and quality advantages, Chinese automobiles have established a strong market presence not only in Australia but across global markets—including South Korea. The fact that Chinese cars have achieved the highest sales in Australia—a country with low population density and high demand for pickups and various vehicle types—means that future Chinese automotive expansion will only intensify.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861718710013952/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s).