Six-year slide: China’s gas car sales down 7M, VW & Nissan drop in 2025
China’s passenger car market recorded a significant decline in internal combustion engine vehicle sales over the past six years, with total annual volume falling from 17.8 million units in 2020 to 10.85 million units in 2025. The change coincided with the penetration of new energy vehicles, which reached 59 percent by December 2025, thereby reshaping demand across major market segments, as reported by Autohome.
The contraction in internal combustion engine vehicle sales represents a reduction of approximately 7 million units over six years, equivalent to a decline of about 39 percent. This shift occurred alongside broader changes in consumer purchasing behavior and accelerating adoption of electrified powertrains in China’s passenger car market.
Among the top ten internal combustion engine models by sales in 2025, joint-venture brands accounted for the majority of positions from ranks six through ten. Volkswagen Magotan recorded sales of 202,000 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.6 percent. Volkswagen Tiguan L sold approximately 200,000 units, with year-on-year growth of 18.9 percent, while Toyota RAV4 sold approximately 200,000 units, with year-on-year growth of 5.6 percent. Toyota Camry achieved nearly 210,000 units in sales with year-on-year growth of 32 percent, and Volkswagen Passat recorded close to 230,000 units with a year-on-year decline of 7.7 percent.
Chinese brands accounted for two positions in the top five rankings. Geely Xingyue L recorded sales of 240,000 units, a 11 percent year-on-year increase. Geely Boyue recorded sales of 230,000 units with a year-on-year increase of 148 percent, representing the highest growth rate among the top-ranked internal combustion engine models.
The top three internal combustion engine models in 2025 were the Volkswagen Sagitar, the Volkswagen Lavida, and the Nissan Sylphy. Volkswagen Sagitar recorded sales of 256,000 units. Volkswagen Lavida recorded sales of 270,000 units with a year-on-year decline of 16.2 percent. Nissan Sylphy recorded sales of 320,000 units with a year-on-year decline of 6.5 percent.
Historical comparisons indicate that several leading internal combustion engine models experienced substantial long-term declines in sales volumes. Nissan Sylphy fell from a peak of 538,000 units in 2020 to 320,000 units in 2025, while Volkswagen Lavida declined from nearly 500,000 units in 2019 to 270,000 units in 2025.
The 2025 ranking shows that internal combustion engine vehicle sales leadership remained concentrated among established joint venture and domestic brands despite overall market contraction.
