The Shining Star of Vietnam’s Automotive Market

According to data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), the total market sales volume in May 2025 reached 29,210 vehicles of all types. This figure decreased by approximately 1% compared to April, marking the second consecutive month of declining domestic automobile sales.

VAMA’s report also indicates that automobile sales in Vietnam in May declined across various vehicle groups and segments. However, the market still witnessed some positive developments, particularly in the electrified vehicle group.

In the pure electric vehicle group, the VinFast brand announced sales of 11,496 electric cars in the domestic market in May, an increase of about 20% compared to the previous month. This achievement was largely driven by the VF 5 and VF 3 duo, with sales figures of 4,232 and 3,950 units, respectively.

Alongside the two main models mentioned above, other lines such as the VF 6 and VF 7 also recorded positive results. Specifically, the VF 6 achieved sales of 1,393 units, while the VF 7 sold 773 units in May. Cumulatively, in the first five months of this year, VinFast delivered a total of 56,187 electric cars to domestic customers.

With sales of approximately 4,000 units each in the past month, the VinFast VF 5 and VF 3 are likely to continue to rank among the top two best-selling models. Since February, this duo has consistently been in the top two positions in the rankings.

This also reflects a shift in Vietnamese consumer preferences, with increasing popularity for affordable electric vehicles. While the VF 5 and VF 6 cater to both personal and business service needs, the VF 3 is attractively priced and suitable for first-time car buyers.

In parallel with electric vehicles, the hybrid vehicle group also experienced a relatively stable month, with sales of 970 units, just three units less than the previous month. The actual figure could be higher as some manufacturers, such as Nissan, Haval, Jaecoo, BYD, and luxury brands like Lexus, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, do not disclose detailed data on their hybrid models.

Among the hybrid models with disclosed sales figures in the Vietnamese market, the Toyota Corolla Cross HEV was the best-selling model in May 2025, with 230 units sold, surpassing the two leading models of the previous month, the Toyota Innova Cross HEV and the Suzuki XL7 Hybrid.

Meanwhile, the XL7 Hybrid recorded sales of 201 units delivered in May 2025, an increase of six units compared to the previous month, outperforming the Innova Cross HEV. The Toyota model sold 170 units, a decrease of approximately 25% from April.

The following positions were held by the Honda CR-V e:HEV RS, Toyota Camry HEV, Honda HR-V e:HEV RS, Toyota Yaris Cross HEV, Honda Civic e:HEV RS, Toyota Alphard HEV, and Kia Sorento HEV/PHEV, respectively.

Notably, the Toyota Alphard HEV sold nine units, which is impressive considering its price tag of 4.615 billion VND. The hybrid version of this high-end MPV is also more popular than the gasoline variant, which sold only five units in the past month.

Sales Performance of Hybrid Models in Vietnam – May 2025 (VAMA)

In the first five months of 2025, manufacturers in Vietnam sold a total of 4,505 hybrid vehicles, an increase of nearly 57% compared to the same period last year. This reflects the growing interest of domestic consumers in this environmentally friendly vehicle segment.

In the near future, the hybrid vehicle group is expected to welcome two new additions: the Suzuki Swift 2025 and the Kia Sorento facelift. The expansion of this group, along with VinFast’s supportive policies for electric vehicles, are crucial factors in promoting the transition to environmentally friendly vehicles in the coming period.