The New Three MPV Are on the Upswing, and the Industry Pattern Is Formed Already

Editor; Fang Fei 2007.04.23

LANDWIND Fashion, Volkswagen Touran, NISSAN LIVINAGENISS Have Come to the Market

On behalf of the automobile segment market, the MPV market has combined high-capacity and comfortableness perfectly. As the phrase “Land Based Business Class” publicized by Shanghai general Buick GL8 has filtered into people's minds，the consumers of the Chinese market have approved the conception of MPV completely, and also the name MPV is connected with the commercial vehicles firmly. It can be said that the introduction of MPV is mainly to meet the need of commercial affairs. Since the booming of the MPV market in the year 05 and 06, more and more firms have taking aim at the big cake of the MPV market.

The Upgrading of the Segment Market Has Changed the Pattern of the Industry

The entry into the Chinese market could ascend to the mid 90s in the 20th century when the GM Chevroler Lumina, Chrysler Voager，Toyota Previa etc, are all imported MPV products. At that time MPV was almost a strange word and people name these cars “Warhead automobiles” only by their outline. After the popularity of Buick GL8 and Santana ODYSSEY the conception of MPV slowly filtered into people's minds, then the MPV products produced by the Domestic Manufacturers such as JAC Refine, Dongfeng FUTURER、KIA Carnival，JinBei Grace etc. had emerged one by one.

Nevertheless, the capacious room and the comforts of driving not only satisfies the demand of business affairs but also obtain the pursue of the home users. As the biggest consumer, families cannot find the MPV belong to themselves all the time. In the eyes of the Chinese consumers, the chief goal for the purchasing of the family cars is to give the family members a movable room. Chinese family always honors the prosperity of the family, so a MPV that could bear the weight of more family members and possess the favorable feeling of driving will be the best choice.

In August 2006, The MPV “Fashion” raised by LandWind and the following LIVINAGENISS by NISSAN brought the Chinese market to a more fine sorting time. The MPV, which originally aimed at only the business affairs, entered the ordinary family from the mystery.

The New Three Support the MPV Market

The Old Three of Chinese automobiles “JETTA, CITROEN，Santana” used to bear the automobile dream of the Chinese consumers. However, “Buick GLB, Honda ODYSSEY and Chrysler Voager” act as Old Three MPV for business and are leading the Chinese MPV market.

However, while the Chinese market is changing with each passing day, the Old Three brands come down from the stage of history. Although their sales are still considerable, the market of them is already broken by the more definite oriented and more beautiful new ones. With the enhancement of the consumptive level for the purchase of cars by families or individuals, the Old Three MPV can no longer represent the whole MPV market completely.

The perfect market for a model of car consists of commercial and household portions, And MPV is not an exception. The commercial MPV market has formed certain pattern, while the market for household MPV is not shaped up at all. At present, there are three bands that oriented to household MPV, they are Volkswagen Touran, LANDWIND Fashion, and NISSAN LIVINAGENISS. The three are very similar in outline, motor, and operationality, but it is reasonable that we name them as the New Three in household MPV market in sequence.

Of the three styles MPV, Volkswagen Touran is promoted first, and at the beginning of its coming into the market it had been clear about its own status “MPS”, namely the multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The goal is to challenge the family car market, but price is as high as 200,000 had made many users shrink back at the sight. But because of its localization, it has actually attracted many B level vehicle users, and this caused it to become the representative of the high end family MPV.

But LANDWIND Fashion is the first domestic model oriented to the household MPV. Beside the price under 100,000, the reasons why it became pursued shortly after its coming into the market are as follows: as a passenger car it possesses favorable driving comforts and operationality，and it is also provided with a broad space and elastically changeable spatial array.

The following NISSAN LIVINAGENISS fell to a genuine ancestry of Japanese vehicles either at the contour design or the fine degree of the inner decoration. As the first joint venture brand, it has shown acute sense and well ability to hold the Chinese market; however, the price 160,000 for a single car obviously overrated the consuming capacity of the Chinese families.

The Fine Sorted Road, the Choice of Success

It is suitable for daily use and travel, and all its characteristics, the fashionable outline, the vigorous momentum and the easy management, have become the standards of the household MPV. And these standards accord with the demands of the Chinese families exactly.

From recent years, it can be concluded that the products that have explored the segment market are really mature and they have obtained the recognition of the consumers. As the Chinese Automobile Market become mature, the segment market has gradually become the focus of all the manufactures during competition. It is no need to bear the loss from the devalue of the products, if you arrange your products for the more fine sorted market and keep an eye on the different demands of the consumers. After Fashion’s successful expanding in the household MPV market, there must be more and more joint venture enterprises readjusting their orientation and facing up the giant market space for household MPV authentically.