Launch news and trade policy ran side by side in Vietnam this week. New models are arriving at both ends of the price range, and the question of which country they are shipped from turns out to move prices more than anything else.
Launches at both ends
BYD will launch the Sealion 5 in Ho Chi Minh City on October 21, with dealers nationwide already taking reservations. After available offers, the top trim is expected to cost no more than VND790 million and the entry version is priced above VND600 million. BYD is targeting about 700 sales a month, an ambitious figure given that its Sealion 6 sold 1,083 units in the whole first half of 2026.
At the other end, FAW's Bestune Xiaoma 222 is on sale from VND 232 million including VAT. The three-metre city car has an 18.11 kWh battery and a claimed range of up to 222 km, and the first 222 buyers get a home charger and three years of free maintenance.
Further out, MG previewed the updated MG5, expected in the fourth quarter with a turbo engine option and 12 driver-assistance features; price is not announced. An iCaur V27 was photographed in Vietnam on foreign plates, which the report reads as preparation for a future launch.
The tariff gap
The most consequential story was about sourcing. BYD switched the Dolphin's supply from China to Thailand in April, and its starting price fell from VND659 million to VND569 million. The report attributes the VND90 million cut to duties: Chinese-built passenger cars face a 50% tariff, while qualifying ASEAN imports enter at zero. Buyers gain, but fully assembled imports bring no assembly work and fewer orders for Vietnamese parts makers.
Thailand's own experience is a caution. A report on Thailand reconsidering its EV incentives describes how Neta imported 16,300 vehicles and received more than 2 billion baht in subsidies, but built only 4,700 of the vehicles it owed in return before its assembly operation stalled.
Discounts and awards
- September promotions on small SUVs included up to VND 150 million off the electric Jaecoo J5 and up to VND 80 million off Omoda C5 hybrids.
- Reader voting for the Car Choice Awards closed ahead of results on October 4, with Chinese models nominated across several categories; the BYD M6 was temporarily leading the passenger-service category with nearly 84,000 votes. These are interim tallies, not results.
- Lynk & Co is using a Vietnam-specific decal package on 06 test cars; the 06 sells in one version at 689 million dong.
What it means
- Where a car is built now matters as much as who builds it: an ASEAN-sourced model can undercut the same car from China by a wide margin.
- The Sealion 5's sales target is far above what BYD's larger SUV has achieved, so its final pricing will be worth watching on October 21.
- Dealer discounts vary by version and location; treat headline figures as a ceiling. More at Chinese cars in Vietnam.