Introduction

The new car launches are coming in waves, with neither joint ventures nor independent brands daring to take a break.

As the automotive market of 2025 draws to a close, after three quarters of fierce competition, we can largely predict the market trends for the entire year. The relentless price war, coupled with a continuous stream of new car introductions, has propelled the entire industry into an exceptionally frenzied phase. Today, despite a brief pause in the competitive momentum due to the National Day holiday, automakers cannot afford to let their guard down.

Last month, many people voiced their concerns that the rapid pace and high frequency of new model launches by various brands made it challenging to keep up with the promotional activities. Given the current competitive landscape in the industry, however, it remains unrealistic to completely break free from this cutthroat environment.

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the 400th batch list of new cars, indicating that the intensity and breadth of new model introductions remain as robust as ever, showing no signs of slowing down compared to previous batches.

Both independent and joint venture brands, traditional automakers, and new forces are all vying to launch new cars one after another to secure a foothold in niche markets. Of course, unlike the past when a wide array of new models were introduced, the current scenario reflects fierce competition among a few leading automakers, regardless of the number of new models launched simultaneously.

This year, the rivalry between Geely and BYD has been relentless, whether through price wars or a flood of new models, highlighting the duel between the top independent brands.

Similarly, after the shakeout among new forces, only NIO, XPENG, Li Auto, and Leapmotor remain. The new energy vehicle market has simply witnessed a rotation of players taking center stage. Leapmotor, in particular, has emerged as a typical representative of latecomers, with every new model it launches becoming a hit, earning it the reputation of a true price disruptor among Chinese automakers.

01 "High Cost-Effectiveness" Reigns Supreme

Indeed, given the overall economic environment, every new model launched this year emphasizes high cost-effectiveness. Even at the 500,000-yuan price level, competitive pricing strategies remain the industry's main theme. However, due to the objective reality of market capacity, the competition is particularly fierce in the market segment below 150,000 yuan.

Recently, with the rising demand for extended-range/plug-in hybrid models, a large number of affordable new models featuring these technologies have flooded the market. Naturally, this batch of new cars from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also includes such models.

Among them, Geely continues to push the envelope by flooding the market with new models. In addition to announcing the Geely Galaxy Starshine 6/Starship 7 methanol plug-in hybrid versions, it also unveiled the all-new Galaxy Starshine 7 sedan. From the declaration information, it is evident that the exterior design is basically consistent with that of the fifth-generation Emgrand, and the body size is also similar. Therefore, it can be inferred that this new model is the plug-in hybrid version of the all-new gasoline-powered Emgrand.

Although the introduction of the Starship/Starshine series has led to some product line confusion, even for onlookers, Geely believes that with distinct channel networks and focuses, the strategy of launching multiple models to compete is still effective.

Therefore, as seen in the previous batch of new car listings, the pure electric version of the Starship 7 was also introduced. Positioned as a pure electric compact SUV, similar to the E5, its exterior design is almost identical to that of the Starship 7 plug-in hybrid version. Equipped with a 160-kilowatt drive motor, this model is clearly designed to balance dealer interests.

What kind of cars sell well? What kind of cars can minimize R&D costs? In fact, through exploration over the past two years, Chinese automakers have already figured this out. Among traditional automakers, Geely is a typical example. Among new forces, unlike NIO and Li Auto, which aim high, Leapmotor and others are much more pragmatic.

At this point, we have obtained the declaration information for the Leapmotor Lafa 5 without a lidar from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Despite its debut in Europe, which gave it a high-end image, upon its return to China, since it is positioned as a compact pure electric hatchback, it is destined to have no connection with high prices. Instead of repeating the mistakes of various boutique compact cars, it is wise for the Lafa 5 to return to Leapmotor's ecosystem.

Conversely, as a mid-tier player among new forces, XPENG previously introduced volume-focused products like the MONA M03 to survive. Today, if it wants to maintain its proud intelligent label, launching more affordable models is of little value. Since the launch of the all-new P7, it can be said that the old XPENG has finally made a comeback.

Although the arrival of the P7+ extended-range version and the G6 extended-range version is also part of XPENG's new car plans, in this batch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's catalog, the appearance of the XPENG G9 Ultra version, which is expected to be upgraded with three Turin chips and a total computing power of up to 2250 TOPS to further enhance its intelligent performance, ultimately shows that XPENG does not want to be just an ordinary new energy vehicle company that sells cars based on volume.

Thus, the logic behind Chinese brands' new model launches still revolves around catering to every niche market segment. Meanwhile, for joint ventures, transitioning from a supporting role to showcasing their full capabilities has become an imperative for current development.

02 Advancing in Both Gasoline and Electric Vehicles: Joint Ventures Have a Clear Vision

Needless to say, everyone can see how hard joint ventures have been working this year. From GAC Toyota's bZ4X, Dongfeng Nissan's N7, Changan Mazda's EZ-60, to Buick's Envision L7, all these models have demonstrated strong competitiveness, reflecting the market's full recognition of this wave of joint venture brand revivals.

Therefore, capitalizing on victories has clearly become the most appropriate choice for joint ventures at present.

In this batch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's new car catalog, even Volkswagen Anhui has introduced a new product. The new model, named the ID. UNYX 07, still adopts a pure electric powertrain, with overall body dimensions larger than those of the ID. UNYX 06. The car length reaches 4853mm, and the wheelbase is 2826mm. It is reported that this new model is the first product built on a brand-new electronic and electrical architecture and is planned to be launched in 2026.

Currently, the market performance of the ID. UNYX 06 is still not optimistic. Often, it is even difficult to find sales data for this model in China. As a rebadged version of the SEAT Cupra Tavascan, we are well aware that the role of the ID. UNYX 06 is merely to serve as a sidekick in Volkswagen's electric transformation in China, with its main business being export, particularly to European markets like Spain where the Cupra brand operates.

Therefore, the primary goal of introducing the ID. UNYX 07 is to change this current situation.

Volkswagen Anhui is still searching for a way out, a consequence of past trial-and-error efforts. In comparison, when the information about the Dongfeng Nissan N6 reappears in the 400th batch of new car declarations from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, it can be said that the previous success of the Dongfeng Nissan N7 was not a flash in the pan.

In Nissan's plan, the plug-in hybrid N6 is set to complement the N7, thereby restoring Nissan's lost confidence in the Chinese market. In the future, as the N series gains momentum, Dongfeng Nissan can finally move beyond relying solely on the Sylphy.

Relying on a single model to save a brand is certainly not feasible. However, as a traditional automaker, advancing in both gasoline and electric vehicles is essential amid the wave of electric transformation. Nissan and Toyota are just a microcosm of this strategy. Looking back at 2025, if we were to name a foreign brand that truly excels in both gasoline and pure electric vehicles, Audi would undoubtedly be on the list.

After FAW-Volkswagen Audi launched the A5L and SAIC Audi introduced the E5, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has not slowed down its pace of launching new models. Following the appearance of the A6L e-tron on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's list, today, the all-new domestically produced A6L and Q5L have also made their debut.

In China, the Audi A6L and Q5L models are not only of great significance to Audi itself but also play a stabilizing role in their respective market segments. Even though the declaration images show that FAW-Volkswagen Audi has made localized design adjustments to these two models, their market appeal remains unparalleled in the industry.

Moreover, given Audi's current understanding of the Chinese market, the A6L and Q5L are destined to become even more aligned with Chinese users' preferences.

So far, in this batch of new car announcements, in addition to the new models from the aforementioned popular brands, within the joint venture camp, models like the Kia Sportage from Yueda Kia have also introduced new versions. As a mid-cycle facelift, its exterior design is synchronized with the overseas version, and it will offer 1.5T and 2.0T engine options. In other words, as a South Korean joint venture company, Yueda Kia has not given up on the Chinese market or merely used its Yancheng plant as an export base.

In conclusion, with only one quarter left until the end of this year, it is expected that everyone's attention will shift to sales figures. From now on, all news related to new cars will serve as a foundation laid by various brands for next year's market.

Editor-in-Chief: Cao Jiadong Editor: He Zengrong