Vietnam car market grows fastest in Southeast Asia in 8M 2026

Combining data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA), VinFast and Hyundai Thanh Cong, Vietnam's car market sold 432,548 vehicles in the first eight months of 2026. VnExpress reported on 2 October 2026 that the 26.6% year-on-year growth was the highest among Southeast Asia's six largest markets and a record for the period. For truck body builders and parts workshops, the more relevant figure is commercial vehicles: VAMA members' cumulative sales in this segment rose 19%, and still grew 5% in August while passenger cars fell 34% month on month.

Key figures of Vietnam's car market in 8 months of 2026 (compiled by H&D Steel from VAMA, VOV, VnExpress)

Vietnam car market data, 8 months of 2026

August fell in the lunar "Ghost Month", so passenger car demand dropped sharply and VAMA members sold 25,395 vehicles, down 25% from July. Commercial vehicles moved the other way, showing that demand linked to production, logistics and infrastructure is less seasonal than family car buying.

Where the sources differ

The 26.6% and 12% growth rates are both correct but measure different scopes. VAMA only covers its members and excludes VinFast and Hyundai Thanh Cong. Adding those two brands lifts total growth sharply, largely because VinFast grew more than 71% according to VnExpress. Workshops should therefore look separately at commercial vehicles and locally assembled vehicles, because that is where their orders come from.

A second point: per VAMA, imported vehicles rose 20% while locally assembled vehicles rose only 2%. Fully imported passenger cars create almost no work for local parts makers. However, many imported trucks arrive as cab-chassis and get their bodies built in Vietnamese workshops, so more truck imports can still mean more body orders.

Aluminium box body and tread plate floor on a light truck — AI-generated illustration

What this means for truck body and auto parts workshops

Steady growth in commercial vehicles means more box bodies, canvas-top bodies and special bodies to build. Aluminium is used more and more because it cuts body weight, raising legal payload, and does not rust like steel. Practical material suggestions:

• Box body walls and doors: aluminium sheet A3003 in H14 or H24 temper bends and rivets easily at a moderate cost. For trucks running in coastal areas or carrying wet cargo or seafood, A5052 H32 is stronger and more corrosion resistant. Typical thickness is about 1–2 mm depending on frame spacing.
• Floors and steps: aluminium tread plate in A3003 or A5052, about 2.5–4 mm thick depending on payload. See our guide on choosing tread plate alloy, pattern and thickness.
• Trims, edges and corner covers: order slit aluminium coil at the exact width to reduce scrap.
• Pressed and bent parts for EVs and special vehicles: covers, brackets and enclosures commonly use A5052 for its balance of strength and formability.

Three common buying mistakes: not specifying temper (H14, H24, H32) and receiving material too hard to bend without edge cracks; not checking the mill test certificate, so A3003 and A5052, which look almost identical, get mixed up; and not measuring actual thickness, where negative tolerance makes the body weaker than designed. If commercial vehicles keep growing in Q4, body orders may bunch up toward year end, so workshops should confirm alloy, thickness and width early.

References

• VnExpress: Vietnam's car market grows fastest in Southeast Asia, 2 Oct 2026
• VOV: Vietnam car market 2026, VinFast leads, 29 Sep 2026
• BNews: VAMA August 2026 sales data

Need a quote for aluminium sheet, tread plate or coil for truck bodies? Contact H&D Steel by hotline/Zalo 0904 678 236 (Sales Department). Please send alloy, temper, thickness, width and quantity for the most accurate quote.