Sedans, SUVs, MPVs and pickup trucks are all seeing some of the biggest discounts of the year.

Dealers slash prices to secure buyers before Ghost Month

The price war in Vietnam's auto market has intensified, with both manufacturers and dealerships offering increasingly generous incentives. Beyond factory-backed promotions, many showrooms are cutting deeper into their own margins by providing additional cash discounts, free insurance and accessories to close sales before Ghost Month.

According to market observations, Subaru is offering the steepest discounts in the mass-market segment this month. The distributor has reduced prices by VND300-360 million on previous-generation Subaru Forester models imported from Thailand.

The Forester 2.0 iL EyeSight is now priced at VND799 million, while the 2.0 iS EyeSight is available for VND839 million, representing discounts of about 27-30 percent from the listed prices.

Hyundai Thanh Cong has also joined the discount race, increasing incentives across most of its lineup. The Santa Fe is receiving the largest discount of up to VND220 million, followed by the Stargazer with incentives of up to VND117 million.

Compared with the previous month, the South Korean automaker has also increased support for its best-selling models, including the Accent, Creta and Tucson, in an effort to boost demand before the market typically slows during Ghost Month.

At Honda My Dinh dealership in Hanoi, a sales consultant said key models such as the City, HR-V, CR-V and BR-V are all eligible for combined promotions from both Honda and the dealership. In addition to registration tax support or preferential financing, buyers may also receive extra cash discounts, free accessories or comprehensive vehicle insurance.

"This is probably the best promotional period of the summer. If customers are genuinely interested in buying a car, the dealership can still adjust its margin to offer an even better deal than the published program. Once Ghost Month begins, there's no guarantee these incentives will remain as attractive," the sales consultant said.

A representative from the sales department at Ford Thanh Xuan in Hanoi shared a similar view, saying July promotions have been strengthened to capitalize on strong demand before Ghost Month. In addition to incentives from Ford Vietnam, the dealership is offering extra accessories, insurance or registration cost support on some Ranger, Everest and Territory models to remain competitive.

Building sales momentum ahead of  low season

Speaking with VietNamNet, Nguyen Dinh Sang, Sales Manager at Toyota Bac Giang in Bac Ninh Province, stated that in July, several of the brand's top-selling models, including the Yaris Cross, Veloz Cross, and Vios, received boosted promotions compared to the previous month.

In addition to 100 percent registration tax support under corporate policy, the dealership provides additional cash incentives and physical damage insurance to help customers finalize orders within the month. This is regarded as a key sales push before the low season, which typically falls around August each year due to overlapping with the seventh lunar month (Ghost Month).

"The average support for mainstream models in July is VND20-30 million higher than the last month. Therefore, this is a very favorable time to buy a vehicle. With current stimulus programs, we expect sales this month to achieve double-digit growth compared to last month," Sang shared.

Notably, many sales consultants revealed that announced promotional levels are not the final figures. For serious customers who place a deposit and complete procedures within July, dealerships remain willing to slice off additional profit margins to meet sales quotas.

Beyond price competition, many dealerships are shortening delivery timelines, supporting installment loans with preferential interest rates, offering free registration tax, or gifting complimentary maintenance packages to secure deals.

According to automotive industry insiders, the heavy price cuts during this period stem from two main causes. First is the pressure to clear inventory remaining from the previous year, alongside imported and locally assembled vehicle supplies that were continuously replenished during the first half of 2026.

More importantly, seasonal factors play a key role. With only a few days remaining before Ghost Month, the market typically cools off as many consumers refrain from making major high-value purchases. Although this mindset has gradually lessened, especially among younger buyers, purchasing power in the seventh lunar month remains lower than in adjacent months.

Hoang Hiep