Cars with an engine size of less than 1.6 liters accounted for 60
percent of Chinese vehicle sales last year, latest industry figures
show.
"The rise in sales of low-emission cars was due to high oil
prices and government policies favoring small cars," said a report
from the China Association of Auto Manufacture.
China raised the price of processed oil several times last year
and in recent years some cities have removed restrictions on
driving routes open to small-engine vehicles.
About 328,000 cars with an engine size of below 1.0 liters were
sold last year and accounted for 8.6 percent of total domestic
sedan sales, said the report. Cars with an engine size of between
1.0 and 1.6 liters took up about half of total sedan sales.
Of the ten best-selling brands six were economy cars, the Jetta,
Buick Excelle, Elantra, Xiali, Cherry QQ and Cherry Cowin.
China's car sales went up 37 percent to reach 3.83 million last
year.
(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2007)
