Ford Motor Co. and its two joint ventures sold 1.11 million vehicles in China last year, up 3 percent as rising demand for crossovers made up for soft sales of commercial trucks.

 

In December, Ford's sales reached a monthly high thanks to Beijing's tax incentives and robust demand for crossovers and SUVs. Sales of Ford and its two joint ventures last month totaled 124,768 vehicles, up 27 percent year on year.

 

For the year, Changan Ford Automobile Co.'s sales of passenger vehicles increased 7 percent to 836,425 vehicles, while Jiangling Motors Co.'s deliveries of commercial trucks declined 6 percent to 253,359 vehicles. Ford also sold 25,340 imported vehicles in China last year.

 

In December, Ford-badged crossovers and SUVs generated much of the growth. Sales of the EcoSport, Kuga, Edge, Explorer and Everest surged 56 percent last month from a year earlier to 32,290 vehicles.

 

Ford's December sales also benefited from the 50 percent purchase tax cut Beijing enacted in October for vehicles with engine displacements of 1.6 liters and below. The Fiesta, Focus, EcoSport and Kuga qualify for the tax incentive.

 

Changan Ford's sales jumped 49 percent in December to 96,960 vehicles. Ford also sold 1,417 imported cars last month in China. But deliveries of Jiangling Motors dropped 12 percent in December to 26,391 vehicles, due to sluggish demand for commercial trucks.