TEHRAN – The sixth Tehran International Auto Show has opened at the Shahr-e Aftab Exhibition Center, with Chinese car brands making up the majority of vehicles on display.

The event, running from January 27 to 31, features 40 automakers and related industries. A wide range of Chinese models, including the Chery-based Phoenix, Yuan Plus, BYD Han, Song Plus, Dolphin, and MVM X77, are being showcased.

Although models from Japanese, Korean, and German manufacturers are also present, Chinese brands dominate the exhibition. Additionally, several global automakers now assemble their vehicles in China, further increasing the presence of Chinese-made models in the Iranian market.

International sanctions and the cost-effectiveness of Chinese vehicles have driven a surge in the import and local assembly of Chinese brands in Iran.

The exhibition highlights a variety of vehicles, including imported and locally assembled models, electric and hybrid cars, heavy-duty trucks, and motorcycles. Notably, several new foreign models, including the Lamari Ecco, MVM X77, MG RX9 seven-seater crossover, Hongqi H5 hybrid, Fidelity Elite, F35 Force 5.5-ton truck, and F38 CNG-powered version, have been unveiled. More than 30 new imported models have been introduced, drawing strong interest from visitors.

Experts attribute the prevalence of Chinese vehicles to international sanctions, which have limited Iran’s access to European and American automakers.

Mojtaba Nazari, an automotive expert, noted that while global automakers in Germany, Italy, and the U.S. export their vehicles worldwide, Iran remains restricted due to sanctions. He explained that the Iranian auto industry was among the first sectors targeted by sanctions, forcing the country to rely on Chinese, Russian, and Indian manufacturers.

Nazari pointed out that China’s automotive industry is heavily influenced by Italian and German engineering, making its vehicles competitive in design and technology. He added that many leading global brands operate production lines in China, where vehicles are assembled under strict quality control. He cited Mazda as an example, stating that its Chinese-assembled models adhere to the company’s global standards and are aimed at both domestic and export markets, including Iraq.

According to Nazari, China’s automotive growth is driven by government support for exports and cost-effective manufacturing, which allows Chinese brands to offer competitive pricing.

Majid Jalili, another automotive market expert, said that Chinese vehicles are gaining popularity in Iran due to their modern designs and affordability. He acknowledged that while some models lack quality, others meet high standards, depending on local assembly contracts with Chinese manufacturers.

Jalili emphasized the importance of after-sales service and spare parts availability for Chinese cars in Iran. He noted that local assemblers import vehicles in completely knocked-down (CKD) form and receive tariff discounts if they achieve a localization rate of over 20 percent. Most Iranian assemblers benefit from such incentives.

He also stated that the pricing of assembled vehicles is based on production costs rather than exchange rate fluctuations, meaning the primary concern for local assemblers is timely access to foreign currency for importing components.

EF/MA