Automakers of both joint brands and domestic brands revealed numerous MPV models for different segments at the Guangzhou Auto Show, which seems to indicate that China is about to embrace the era of MPV. However, insiders are not so optimistic.

 

“Expanding family structure arising from two-child policy may be conducive to the development of MPV. But the MPV market will not gain exploding growth like that of SUV. On the contrary, the marker share of MPV may not continue to increase or even decrease as it has reached the peak now, ” said Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of China Passenger Cars Association （short for CPCA）.

 

Statistics from China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that the production of passenger vehicles totaled 16,506,000 units with a year-on-year rise of 2.20% while the sales reached 16,484,700 units with year-on-year rise of 3.89% in the first ten months this year. The sales of cars reached 9,249,700 units, decreasing by 7.90% on a yearly basis; the sales of MPV stood at 1,615,700 units, increasing by 7.8%; the sales of SUV totaled 4,706,200 units with an increase of 48.4%; and the sales of small van reached 913,100 units with a decline of 20.9%.

 

Considering domestic SUV brands are still appealing to customers, joint brands have to seize the opportunity offered by two-child policy and launch more new concepts cars to motivate the MPV market according to Cui Dongshu. And actually numerous concept models of MPV were revealed at Guangzhou Auto Show, including Elysion of Dongfeng Honda and Touran of Shanghai Volkswagen.

 

Though the market share of MPV has showed upward trend all the time, MPV hasn’t developed rapidly neither in commercial sector nor in private sector. Take Buick as example, its market share hasn’t increased a lot even though it has spent several years tapping Chinese market.

 

Media pointed out that the styles of different brands of MPV showed little difference. For example, Elysion looks like Odyssey of Dongfeng Honda, except for their some configuration and price. The third row of Touran turns out to be useless. And Golf Variant, positioned as MPV by FAW, is actually five-seats. MPV of different brands in Chinese market all have their weakness.

 

MPV which cannot meet demands of customers will not perform well in market. What’s more, as people in China still prefer SUV which is cost-efficient, it will not easy at all for MPV to embrace a promising future.