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Volkswagen Jetta Brand Is a Hit Among Chinese Car Virgins

At the beginning of 2019, without making a big fuss about it, Volkswagen transformed the Jetta car into a brand in its own right, a thing it has never done before. It did not do so globally, but only in China, and if it weren’t for the incredible success in recent months, the Jetta brand would have stayed largely unknown to the rest of the world.
Jetta VS5 4 photos
Photo: Volkswagen
Jetta Brand Debuts in China, Has Its Own SUVJetta Brand Debuts in China, Has Its Own SUVJetta Brand Debuts in China, Has Its Own SUV
The Jetta line comprises two models in China, an SUV called VS5 and a sedan called the VA3. The former is based on the SEAT Ateca or Volkswagen Tiguan, and the latter on the Jetta car itself. Both sell as entry-level cars, and there is a third car in the pipeline, based on the SEAT Tarraco, which is called the VS7.

In between the two, the new car marque sold 30,000 units in three months, making for the most successful recent brand launch in the country. Of them, 80 percent were SUVs.

With these two cars, and with the entire brand for that matter, Volkswagen targets newcomers to the car world, people that have never owned a car before, and are looking to purchase something with a price range between $9,000 and $16,000.

"The entry-level segment has so far been served almost exclusively by Chinese brands. The JETTA brand closes the gap between the entry-level segment and the volume segment, at the top end of which the Volkswagen brand is positioned," said in a statement Jürgen Stackmann, sales board member of the Volkswagen brand.

"We see tremendous potential there, and the flying start of JETTA proves us right."

It’s not clear yet whether the cars of the Jetta line made specifically for the Chinese market will be sold elsewhere. What is clear is that the German carmaker doesn’t necessarily need to do this, because China is its largest single market, accounting for 50 percent of all annual sales.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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