Shanghai (ZXZC)- For the first four months of 2021, four Japanese automakers—Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda—all recorded double-digit growth in China sales mainly due to the low base for the year-ago period.

In terms of April sales, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan's China businesses still recorded year-on-year growth, while the rates were much smaller than that of the previous month. Mazda was the only one that faced decrease. 

Toyota still outperformed the other three companies by both Apr. and Jan.-Apr. China sales. It sold 160,300 new vehicles in the world's largest auto market last month, posting a year-on-year growth of 12.2%, which were 51.5 percentage points lower than that in March.

Levin; photo credit: GAC Toyota

According to the wholesales given by GAC Toyota, the joint venture between GAC Group and Toyota sold 73,900 new vehicles last month, logging a 16% growth from the year-ago period. The wholesale volumes of the all-new Camry, the Levin, and the Wildlander amounted to 17,234 units, 20,770 units, and 10,777 units respectively.

The sales volume of FAW-Toyota is not yet known.

At the Auto Shanghai 2021, Toyota revealed that it planned to introduce to China over 30 electrified models under both Toyota and Lexus brands by 2025, including BEVs, PHEVs, HEVs, and FCVs, encouraged by China's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

Honda announced its China deliveries leapt 31.7% from a year earlier in April, versus 150.2% hike in its March sales. Of those, 64,500 units and 84,923 units were contributed by GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda respectively, representing year-on-year growth of 10.4% and 54.3%.

CR-V; photo credit: Dongfeng Honda

There were six models, namely the Accord, the Vezel, the Breeze, the CR-V, the Civic, and the XR-V, whose deliveries all surpassed 10,000 units in April. Notably, more than 20,000 consumers in China took delivery of the CR-V last month.

Moreover, a total of 22,114 Honda's vehicles armed with the hybrid powertrain system “Sport Hybrid” were handed over to consumers in the country last month.

In the Jan.-Apr. period, Honda saw its China retail sales shoot up 60.9% to 539,654 units. GAC Honda scored a 40% remarkable growth by retailing 244,610 vehicles, while Dongfeng Honda posted an increase of up to 83.6% with a delivery volume of 295,044 units.

Nissan's China sales amounted to 128,297 units last month, ticking up 4.4% from a year earlier, compared to the 78% increase in March sales volume.

The PV business unit of Dongfeng Motor Company Limited (DFL) sold 101,762 new vehicles in April, posting a 4.5% year-over-year increase. To be specific, the sales of Nissan-branded models edged up 3.9% to 96,036 units, for the fourth month in a row showing year-over-year rise.

Seventh-generation Altima; photo credit: Dongfeng Nissan

With sales volumes of 12,035 units and 45,725 units, both the seventh-generation Altima and the Sylphy series achieved highest-ever monthly sales for the month of April. The sales of Nissan-branded SUVs totaled 32,535 units last month, including 14,336 X-Trails and 14,033 Qashqais.

Of the vehicles sold by Dongfeng Nissan, 5,726 units were from Venucia brand, a year-on-year growth of 14.4%.

Retailing 15,230 vehicles in April, Mazda's China business recorded a 10.9% downward movement from the year-ago period, versus the 44.5% surge in the March volume.

Changan Mazda delivered 10,305 vehicles last month, still logging a 2.8% growth. Thus, the monthly decrease entirely stemmed from the plunge in FAW-Mazda sales, which tumbled 30.3% year on year to 4,925 units.

Mazda3 Axela; photo credit: Changan Mazda

With 6,706 vehicles delivered, the Mazda3 Axela was still the best-selling model in April. In the meantime, the deliveries of the Mazda6 Atenza and the Mazda CX-4 reached 2,719 units and 2,206 units respectively.