Car sales increased by 31 percent year-on-year in the first quarter to 78,252 units, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA).

Seventy-five percent of them were passenger cars, whose number grew by 48 percent.

Sales of completely-built-unit (CBU) cars, or those imported fully assembled, surged 2.3 times, while that of vehicles made locally fell by 8 percent.

Motorbike sales were down 6.1 percent to 753,934 units, according to the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM), which includes Honda, Piaggio, Suzuki, SYM, and Yamaha Motor.

Although detailed data for each brand was not revealed, Honda has traditionally accounted for a 75 percent market share.

Car sales last year rose by 27.7 percent to almost 270,000 units and motorbike sales by 3.5 percent to 3.39 million.