Marginal new-car sales growth attributed to just two Chinese brands

New-vehicle sales in Australia edged higher in the most recent count, but the modest improvement is being driven almost entirely by two Chinese brands, BYD and Geely. Strip those two out of the total and the wider market is actually losing ground. In other words, the headline growth figure is flattering a market that is quietly softening underneath it, rather than signalling broad-based demand.

The pattern is worth understanding because it is not unique to Australia. Chinese manufacturers have shifted in a few short years from niche entrants to genuine