Since the mid-20th century, Asia has been catching up with Europe and the United States in automobile production. The automobile industry is most developed in Southeast Asian countries, China, Japan, and South Korea. Local companies began producing middle-class cars using low-wage labor. Recently, the trend has shifted: local brands have entered the market with luxury cars. But mass-market models are still predominant.
What are Asian car brands?
Car brands produced by local companies represent the Asian car industry. It is most developed in Southeast Asia, primarily in South Korea, Japan, and China. Other countries also have car brands, including Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, the UAE, Taiwan, India, and Indonesia.
China
China is a pioneer in the automobile industry and, consequently, the leader in annual production of cars, trucks, and commercial vehicles. Although not all PRC enterprises can compete with foreign firms, the country has numerous well-known brands that match their international counterparts in quality and technology. The Chinese automotive industry has also mastered producing cars that meet European environmental standards.
SAIC Motor
SAIC is an absolute record-breaker in the number of cars sold among Chinese automakers. It produces commercial and light vehicles and adapts them to contemporary trends. For example, it was the first to study and implement intelligent technologies that simplify driving.
SAIC also seeks to promote the adoption of new energy sources, so it is developing modern electric and hybrid vehicles. Its main models are the Roewe E50 and the Baojun E100. Iveco, Volkswagen, General Motors, and other foreign manufacturers have undertaken several joint projects.
Changan Automobile
“Time-tested reliability” is the company’s name, and it has existed for over 150 years and has produced high-tech cars for about 40 years. Changan Automobile is a subsidiary of the state-owned machinery corporation China South Industries Group and specializes in passenger-car production. The product range also includes SUVs and trucks.
It is a leading Chinese manufacturer known for its technological developments. One of the latest innovations is a car with a state-of-the-art autonomous driving system. The company has 180 laboratories and several dozen factories in different countries.
Chery
In 1997, the Chery automobile company was founded in the small provincial town of Wuhu. In just a few years, the small company grew into a major automaker and entered markets in many countries. Moreover, car production at Chery plants began not immediately, but in 1999. Until 2001, the company was constrained by the absence of a license and could supply cabs only to local officials.
The company owes its success to its collaborations with automotive designers Cavax, Pininfarina, Bertone, Mitsubishi Automotive Engineering, and Lotus Engineering. Joint projects with the world-famous Chrysler and Fiat brands have also helped it increase sales.
Geely
The Chinese company Geely specializes in producing commercial and passenger vehicles. Its history spans three eras. The first began in 1997, when the company began producing minibusses. Before that, Geely’s main products were refrigerators (since 1986) and scooters (since the mid-1990s).
The manufacturer owns several major divisions and approximately a dozen brands, including Volvo, which was acquired from Ford in 2010. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou and has factories in various countries. The name Geely is a variant of the original Jílì, which means “favorable.”
Dongfeng Motor
Dongfeng Motor’s predecessor was Second Automobile Works Co., Ltd., founded in 1969 and beginning automobile production in mid-1975. At the end of 1975, Dongfeng adopted the name “East Wind.” Although the company’s first vehicle was a military model, the second, the EQ140 5t Heavy-Duty Truck, marked the transition to civilian production.
In 1987, the company succeeded and became one of the world’s top three truck manufacturers. In 2006, the company assembled the ten thousandth Ruiqi pickup truck at its plants. The company has received awards in China and abroad for its numerous achievements. Its latest developments include electric and natural gas vehicles.
FAW
The extended name FAW, which sounds like First Automotive Works, is well justified, as the Chinese automotive industry began with this company. It established China’s first automobile plant, which began producing cars in 1958. The oldest automobile enterprise now produces cars, small cars, buses, SUVs, and trucks for various cargo applications.
BAIC
BAIC is a state-owned company with a wide range of products. It produces military vehicles, light trucks, buses, construction and agricultural machinery, and commercial vehicles. The company also produces electric and gasoline-powered passenger cars. BAIC’s subsidiary brands include Foton Motor, BJEV, Beijing Automobile Works, and BAIC Motor.
India
India’s automobile industry is the world’s sixth-largest and one of the most important sectors of the economy; it accounts for more than 7% of GDP. Local manufacturers actively export four- and two-wheeled vehicles, and the share of sales abroad has increased noticeably each year. Passenger cars are the main products, but popular Indian commercial vehicle brands such as Tata are also strong.
Mahindra & Mahindra
Mahindra & Mahindra has operated for over seven decades and works across industries ranging from aerospace to bus manufacturing. It began as a modest steel business founded in 1945 by enterprising entrepreneurs. Many years ago, the company produced the first Indian truck under the Mahindra brand; today, it produces modern commercial vehicles, pickup trucks, electric cars, and other modes of transportation under the Mahindra brand.
Tata
Tata Motors is owned by the Tata Group Corporation, named after Jamsetji Nasarvanji Tata. The automobile company traces its history back to 1945, when it began manufacturing locomotives. Today, its lineup is broader, including vehicles from brands such as Jaguar and Land Rover. Tata is known for creating the prototype air car and developing the world’s cheapest car, the Nano subcompact hatchback.
Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is renowned worldwide for its advanced technology and consistent quality. Five automobile corporations stand out in the country: Suzuki, Mazda, Honda, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. These are generally recognized leaders that have entered the PRC’s domestic market and established numerous subsidiaries in various countries.
Toyota
Toyota’s history began with textile machinery production and grew from a small private enterprise into a global automobile concern. More than 85 years have passed since it produced its first automobile. Today’s models use much more technology, but the main thing remains the same: Toyota’s desire for progress and prestige.
Honda
Honda is another old Japanese concern. A design engineer founded this automaker in 1946 after conducting scientific research. The company’s first products were low-powered engines and mopeds. Cars came much later: first vans, then racing cars. Now, the model range is dominated by high-speed sports cars.
Nissan
Previously, Nissan was known as Dat Jidosha Seizo because it primarily produced cars under the Datsun brand. The company’s managers then refocused on producing passenger cars (in 1931) and gave it its current name (in 1934). Nissan decided not to limit the model range, offering a wide range of cars from SUVs to small cars.
Suzuki
Suzuki’s first specialization was the textile industry, which it successfully pursued from 1909 to the early 1950s. However, as the automobile industry grew in popularity, the company shifted from producing weaving machines to producing small cars. Throughout its history, the company has changed its name several times, acquired a subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki India, and increased its production volumes to record levels.
Lexus
Lexus is a successful project of Toyota Motor Corporation. The company’s owner decided to create it at a secret meeting in 1983. Lexus was conceived as a luxury car brand under which Toyota would produce prestigious models for export, mainly to the United States. However, luxury crossovers, SUVs, and passenger cars quickly became popular worldwide.
Mazda
Founded in 1920, Mazda initially specialized in cork production. But it shifted priorities, and 11 years after its debut in the domestic market, it began producing three-wheeled scooters. In the postwar period, trucks came off assembly lines, and passenger cars did not appear until the 1960s. Mazda expanded its model lineup to include minibusses, buses, roadsters, pickup trucks, crossovers, and sports cars, reflecting its ongoing development.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi was originally a ship repair and shipbuilding company, since the automobile industry did not yet exist when it was founded (1873). The manufacturer’s first serially produced automobile, the Model A, appeared in 1917. However, the war prevented Mitsubishi from continuing on that path, and it suspended car production. It was resumed only in 1960. Since then, the range of vehicles has expanded significantly, encompassing a variety of cars, from compact urban sedans and hatchbacks to heavy trucks and buses.
South Korea
South Korean cars embody safety and reliability, modern technologies developed in our country, and European design. Numerous global rankings confirm this, recognizing Asia as a leader in the automotive industry. The brand list is relatively limited compared with China or Japan, but a wide selection of models across price categories makes up for it.
Hyundai
The first Hyundai automobile plant was built in Seoul in the late 1960s, where the company remains headquartered. Before that, the company’s primary business was shipbuilding. Car exports began in 1976 when the Hyundai brand was recognized in South Korea’s domestic market. A new era in the automaker’s history began with its acquisition of a stake in Kia Motors Corporation, which led to significant economic growth.
Kia
Kia Corporation is a popular South Korean automaker that initially produced two-wheeled vehicles: bicycles and scooters. It took the company more than 30 years to enter the automotive industry. Its first car, which was launched in 1977, was built under Mazda’s license. In the 1990s, Kia began to experience financial problems, so Hyundai bought some of its shares.
Renault Samsung
Two corporations established the Renault Samsung brand: French Renault (the principal shareholder) and South Korean Samsung Group (through its subsidiary, Samsung Card). Renault has not always owned the joint venture; earlier, Nissan, one of the project’s co-founders, held it. With the French automaker’s arrival, the model range has expanded considerably. It now includes not only gasoline-powered cars but also modern electric cars.
Other
Not all Asian automakers are based in China, India, Japan, and South Korea. Other countries also have their own well-known brands, if not internationally, then at least locally. These include the Indonesian brand Esemka, the Taiwanese brand Luxgen, the Emirati brand W Motors, the Malaysian brand Perodua, the Iranian brand SAIPA, and the Thai brand Rung Union Car. They are subordinate to global concerns, but they have achieved notable results in the history of the automobile industry.
Esemka (Indonesia)
The Esemka brand is named after SMK 1 Trucuk, the vocational school whose students assembled the first car. PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi owns the brand; it was founded in 2007. Initially, the carmaker manufactured engine components, then shifted to producing urban and rural cars. It produces about 12,000 cars annually.
Luxgen (Taiwan)
Before creating the Luxgen brand, Yulon Motor had assembled prestige cars for Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Chrysler for many years. In 2009, he decided to realize his ambitions and opened a new division to produce premium cars. Adhering to strict quality standards, Luxgen uses components from renowned global brands.
W Motors (United Arab Emirates)
W Motors cars are the most famous sports cars from the UAE. The company that produces them was originally founded in Lebanon and later relocated its headquarters to Dubai. Several European enterprises founded it and invested millions of dollars in a joint project. W Motors products are presented in the luxury segment of the car market. The exception is the Ghiath model, designed only for the Dubai Police and not for sale.
Zarooq Motors (United Arab Emirates)
Zarooq Motors combines European craftsmanship and Emirati traditions to create high-tech cars for city streets and deserts. Its exclusive supercars are named after the venomous sand snake, considered the fastest in the Arabian Peninsula. Indeed, luxury cars are regarded as among the fastest in the world.
Perodua (Malaysia)
Perodua is an acronym for Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua, which assembles cars in its factories. It does not develop the main components and instead sources them from the Japanese company Daihatsu Motor. The enterprise’s head office is located in Rawang. The cars are sold mainly in Asian countries, although Perodua exports them to the UK market.
Proton Holdings (Malaysia)
Proton Holdings is a successful parastatal Malaysian company. It began developing cars in the 1990s and modernized popular Mitsubishi models. A dramatic change occurred in 1996, when it acquired a majority stake in the British automaker Lotus Cars Limited.
Naza (Malaysia)
The Naza conglomerate operates a range of businesses, from bicycle distribution to cigarette sales. But the most developed sector is car production. A division, Naza Automotive Manufacturing, is responsible for this. It was established in 2002 to produce cars under several brands, including Naza. Currently, the company specializes in producing Citroën, Peugeot, and Kia cars.
SAIPA (Iran)
The second largest company in Iran is SAIPA, which produces vehicles ranging from cars and trucks to buses. It was established in 1966 to assemble Citroën models, but SAIPA later acquired its cars and technological developments (engines). The company currently produces South Korean cars.
Iran Khodro (Iran)
Iran Khodro produces about 70% of all Iranian cars; founded in 1962, it previously focused only on car assembly. It now encompasses the full production cycle and supplies a range of vehicles, including trucks, cars, buses, and minibusses. Iran Khodro’s main production sites are located in Tehran.
United Auto Industries (Pakistan)
United Auto Industries, established in 1999, is a leading player in the Pakistani automobile market. Its product range includes cars, trucks, auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, scooters, and forklifts. The vehicles are manufactured under the UNITED brand name. The manufacturer plans to cooperate with Chinese companies to produce passenger cars.
Micro (Sri Lanka)
The name Micro speaks for itself. This company specializes in producing compact cars: SUVs (Actyon), sedans (Impreza), and hatchbacks (Panda). It also produces mid-size (Rexton II) and full-size (Chairman W) cars in joint ventures with the South Korean firm Ssangyong Motors. The lineup also includes Duo Deck buses, assembled from Chinese components.
Thai Rung Union Car (Thailand)
Thailand also has its automaker, Thai Rung Union Car. It has no competitors, as it is the sole national automaker. Its creators and owners are members of the Phaenchoke family. The company doesn’t limit itself to assembling foreign cars (Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota, Isuzu) and also produces its own models under the Thai Rung brand.
VinFast (Vietnam)
Vietnam’s richest man founded VinFast in 2017. The dollar billionaire laid the foundation for the Vietnamese car industry. Before that, the country’s domestic market manufactured all cars abroad. Pininfarina designed VinFast’s stylish crossovers and sedans. They combine licensed German technology and “Bavarian” design.
10 Most Popular Asian Car Brands in the USA
Asian brands dominate the U.S. car market and are gradually displacing American manufacturers. Demand is highest for Japanese brands that have proven themselves worldwide, such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and others. Premium models dominate, as the U.S. government has imposed export restrictions on Japan, forcing Japan to supply only expensive cars to the U.S. Among South Korean brands, Hyundai and Kia are popular in the U.S. All other brands in the top ten are Japanese.
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