Chinese Brand Passenger Cars Capture Over 60% Market Share in April 2026; Sedan Segment Declines Overall, but Mid-to-Large Models Gain Ground

In April 2026, retail sales of sedans in China totaled 560,000 units, down 17.2% month-over-month and 31.8% year-over-year. Domestic brands accounted for over 60% of total sedan sales, a 15-percentage-point increase from March. Japanese brands saw a significant decline in market share, while American, Korean, French, and some European brands experienced weak sales or were absent from the market altogether. By vehicle segment, mid-large and mini cars posted sales growth, with mid-large cars up 23.5% year-over-year. In contrast, micro, compact, and midsize cars saw declining sales, with midsize cars dropping by 38.2%. During the same period, consumer complaints about sedans rose, with quality issues primarily concerning "tire cracking" and "air conditioning problems." The overall complaint-to-sales ratio for sedans in April stood at 118.4 per 10,000 units sold, worsening compared to previous months. However, 23 models recorded a better-than-average complaint-to-sales ratio for their respective segments, nearly 70% of which were domestic-brand vehicles.