Introduction: In 2021, the domestic MPV market sold 1.078 million vehicles throughout the year, continuing the year-on-year decline in recent years. However, from the perspective of the sales trend of the market segment, the rapid recovery of the high-end MPV market is finding a course for the declining MPV market.
(Text/Zhang Jiadong Editor/Lou Bing) Due to the huge difference in the size span and functional attributes of the MPV, coupled with the complexity and diversity of the market environment, the MPV market has been in a state of year-on-year decline since the decline of the auto market in 2018. In 2021, the domestic MPV market sold 1.078 million vehicles in the whole year, down 1% year-on-year, once again becoming the only category among the three major categories to decline.
However, the year-on-year decline in the MPV market last year does not represent the sluggishness of the market, from the perspective of the number of products, there are currently 36 MPV products on sale in the market, and a total of 15 products are declining in 2021. The main reason for the slight decline in the overall market is that the average decline of 15 products is as high as 50.5%.
Although for a period of time, the prevalence of 7 SUVs has formed a certain antagonistic relationship with the MPV market. However, the outstanding performance of MPV in ride comfort, space and versatility is still the main reason why it is difficult to be replaced. The key to the MPV market lies in how to "save itself".
One-sided escalation trend
Judging from the price distribution of the MPV market price point last year, the MPV market is like the emerging new energy market, which directly reflects the consumer demand range for this category of products.
Statistics show that the sales volume of the MPV market below 100,000 yuan fell by 14.34% year-on-year, and it is worth noting that the price range is always the highest sales segment of the domestic MPV, mainly independent brands, and the number of products is as many as 17. However, as the demand for consumption upgrading continues to heat up, the market demand in this price segment shows a fragmented trend.
Through the all-round product matrix and sinking channels composed of Hongguang, Capgemini and Zhengcheng, Wuling has achieved a market share of 72.96% in this market range. Wuling's success is based on its specialized satisfaction of consumer demands.
Although Wuling Hongguang's sales in the market have been declining in recent years, the sales performance of 255,000 vehicles has always made it the first place in the market, especially the irreplaceability of Hongguang in small goods, making it still the first choice in 3-5 tier cities and even rural areas. Wuling Journey, which belongs to the same market and has been upgraded in size, also has a similar market environment and performance.
The latest Wuling Capgemini model will use the word "space" to the extreme at this price point, and it has also shaped the only product with large space and flexibility in the MPV market below 100,000 levels. For the full year of 2021, Wuling Capgemini sold a total of 63,000 units, an increase of 273.9% year-on-year, becoming the largest dark horse in this segment.
In contrast, the remaining 14 products in the same price range are slightly weak, in addition to the popular Lingzhi, Baojun 730, Changan Ono is still actively carrying out annual changes, most products in the brand itself under the weak development of the situation, has been difficult to support the change of product strength, in the market is on the verge of being eliminated. The above 3 models lack the support of the system similar to Wuling, in the case of consumption pattern change, Wuling can convert users lost in the low-level market through Capgemini, but for other brands, its sales are destined to only follow the waves in the same level market.
Of course, the trend of consumption upgrading has not been able to bring fire to the 100,000-200,000 yuan MPV market in one fell swoop. From the perspective of full-year sales, this segment increased by 12.79% year-on-year. Among them, the main source of the increase was the Trumpchi M6, which sold 48,000 units in the whole year, an increase of 21.9% year-on-year.
It is worth noting that in this level of market, SAIC MAXUS G50 and G10 sales are relatively stable, after the MAXUS brand opened the "spider smart selection" mode, C2B personalized intelligent customization has comprehensively transformed saicus Chase's performance in the market. However, subject to the single product, SAIC Maxus is far from the mainstream passenger car brand in the channel end and the marketing end. This is also the root cause of the long-term stagnation of its two products for many years.
On the other hand, Geely Jiaji, which was flattered by the market before 2020, was affected by the general quality problems that occurred during the decline of the automobile market, resulting in a sharp decline in sales of this product that once sold nearly 100,000 units per year.
For the MPV market with more than 200,000 levels, consumption upgrades have promoted it to make it the biggest beneficiary. Gl8, which has been precipitated in the market for many years, achieved a year-on-year increase of 8.4% with a result of 170,000 vehicles, and products such as Odyssey and Alexand also showed different degrees of year-on-year sales increase, showing the further expansion of the market at this level.
In the face of the growth trend of the high-priced market, since the second half of last year, many car companies have increased their weight. In addition to the Trumpchi M8, Roewe iMAX8 and other products stationed in the market in the market, the joint venture brand has opened a large-scale entry into this level. Only in the fourth quarter, the 300,000 yuan MPV market gave birth to Two new products of Kustu and Jiahua, and toyota Xena, which landed in the Chinese market at the end of the year, although it was caught in the price increase storm, it was not less hot in the consumer market, and when the new car was officially delivered in 2022, the MPV market of more than 200,000 yuan was more worth looking forward to.
New wind direction: high-end home
From the perspective of market use, the full outbreak of the MPV household market is becoming a new weather vane. Unlike the hype of the 2-child policy a few years ago, after years of market testing, the household demand for MPVs has begun to show a clearer form.
The main balanced IKEA products are no longer the keywords of hot-selling MPVs. Precise product positioning and use begin to guide the direction of the market.
Although GL8 is turning its attention to the family car market, most of its market growth is still due to the recognition of the commercial market. The same is true of the high-selling models that have formed a distinct label in the market, in addition to the Trumpchi M8 in a specific version of the Buick GL8 commercial market posed a certain threat, the current high-selling MPV products on the market almost all point to the same keyword - high-end home.
Due to GL8's dominant influence on the MPV commercialization market, it not only bears the heavy responsibility of sales in the MPV market, but also plays the role of a bellwether in the commercial market. Whether it is Weiran, which was previously positioned for commercial use, or the Trumpchi GM8 (the predecessor of Trumpchi M8), which focused on the commercial market in the early days, it has not been able to break through the all-round containment of GL8. Even Buick's GL6, which focuses on the mid-range market, has not survived under its own aura.
To this end, many car companies have set their sights on the home market, after experiencing the early period of confused exploration of home MPV, the upgrading of the consumer market, as well as the introduction of electrification and intelligence, provide opportunities for the latecomers of the home MPV market.
As with the failure of 100,000-200,000-level market Jiaji and Song MAX, due to closer to the home use scenario, consumers' comprehensive product demand for home MPV is actually much higher than that of SUVs and sedan products, in addition to the configuration of the intelligent with the times, more energy-saving electric products and reliable quality assurance, have become consumers when purchasing MPV, in addition to the hidden needs of space comfort.
In this environment, the improvement of market consumption capacity just happens to provide a good space for home MPV in high-value markets. Such as the addition of Alexand and Odyssey in electrified models; the intelligent shaping of Roewe iMAX8, Trumpchi M8, and Kustu, all of which just cater to the new needs of consumers for MPV in the new era.
Take a look:
As mentioned earlier, the decline of the MPV market in recent years is more like a comprehensive reshuffle and adjustment under the guaranteed market. Similar to the new energy market, the independent brands led by Wuling firmly grasp the largest market range of the entry-level market, but at present, the market has become close to saturation, and under the internal friction, whether more car companies are willing to join and change the way to play in the market at this level may be the only way to break the "monopoly" of Wuling.
In the high-end market, the impact of Buick GL8 on the commercial market is still difficult to shake in the short term.
Just after 2021, many manufacturers announced their own plans to promote new projects in the MPV market. Recently, FAW Toyota decided to introduce a new domestic MPV - Granvia this year; Weipai is also expected to launch medium-sized and medium-sized MPV with internal codenames M81 and M83 respectively within the year; while Hongqi's MPV products have no detailed news, their road test spy photos have been exposed many times.
Obviously, the decline in overall sales has not affected the enthusiasm of car companies for the high-end MPV market segment.
Attached: 2021 MPV sales ranking
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