Meanwhile, domestic car production remained relatively strong, driven by high consumer demand ahead of the Lunar New Year.

According to the latest report from the General Statistics Office, a total of 40,888 new cars, including both domestically manufactured and imported vehicles, were supplied to the Vietnamese market in January 2025.

This figure represents a 20.7 percent decrease from December 2024, when 51,581 units were recorded.

Domestic car production and assembly remained relatively high despite the seasonal downturn. In January, approximately 34,700 vehicles were produced and assembled, marking a 10.2 percent decrease from December's 38,700 units. However, this still reflects a notable 60.7 percent increase compared to January 2024.

In contrast, car imports into Vietnam experienced a steep decline. The estimated number of imported vehicles in January 2025 stood at 6,188 units, with an import value of $163 million.

This was less than half of the 12,881 units imported in December 2024, which had a total value of $303.5 million, according to the General Department of Customs.

Automotive industry analysts attribute the strong domestic production levels in January to high consumer demand before the Lunar New Year, a period when buyers rush to purchase vehicles for holiday travel.

As a result, locally assembled cars are quickly delivered to customers, supporting steady production rates.

For imported vehicles, the decline in arrivals was largely due to customs clearance delays and the extended Tet holiday, which slowed processing times.

Many of the imported cars that arrived in January were held in storage and will only be delivered to the market after the holiday period.

Hoang Hiep