New Volkswagen Lavida unveiled in China

New version of VW's China-only three-box best-seller sits on MQB underpinnings; unveiled at the Beijing motor show.

Published On Apr 27, 2018 08:00:00 AM

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Volkswagen has unveiled the latest iteration of its popular Lavida sedan in China. The outgoing Volkswagen Lavida was the best selling three-box model in China, last year, with 450,000 registrations. The car is one in seven models sold by Volkswagen in China.

The German carmaker has unveiled the new 2018 Lavida with ambitions of maintaining its stronghold at the top of the country's new car market. Revealed at the Beijing motor show, the new car's design mixes familiar Volkswagen lines with market-specific features for the country, such as a chrome strip across the nose. The four-door model is smaller than the Passat and Jetta. It is built in China via Volkswagen’s joint venture with SAIC and uses MQB underpinnings.

China is Volkswagen’s biggest market; 3.2 million of VW cars were sold there, last year. As such, much of Volkswagen’s investment is now focused on China. The automaker will launch 12 China-only SUV models by 2020 and 10 electric models by 2023, with the intention to sell around 6,50,000 electric cars in the country, annually, by 2025.