Surprising recovery for China's domestic auto brands

Some of China's automakers fared better than others in 2014

Many of China's homegrown carmakers are seeing their market share eroded by international rivals. An increasingly affluent middle class is turning more to foreign brands as recocgnisable hallmarks of quality and safety in the premium segment, while competitive pricing structures shrink profitability on value models.

However, some of China's better-known brands have fared better than others, especially in third and fourth-tier markets. Chang'an, Geely and Chery have all enjoyed successful sales in 2014.

SAIC-GM-Wuling's own brand sales are, in fact, the most successful in China, topping 932,600 units in 2014. Meanwhile, the Wuling's Hongguang sold an average of 62,500 units a month through the twelve month period. The Baojun, also produced by the joint venture, sold 120,000 units last year.

Much of the company's success lies in positioning the vehicles to the right consumers. The four-door Baojun sedan looks similar to many of its international rivals but comes with a significantly lower price tag. Also, the Baojun 730 minivan, ideal for use in China's third and fourth tier cities for informal taxi services, is priced at just 69,800 ($11,089) for the cheapest option.

Among others that have enjoyed strong sales in 2014 are the Cherry Tiggo 3 and Tiggo 5, as well as the Haval H6.