Among the total, the sales of special-purpose vehicles saw the strongest rise at 36 percent from August figures with 513 units, followed by the sales of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, with the increases of 24 percent and 21 percent to 17,213 units and 7,625 units, respectively. 

Sales of domestically-assembled automobiles stood at 17,325 units, up 16 percent from August; whilst that of imported vehicles surged 42 percent, reaching 8,026 units, the association said. 

However, the automobile sales in the first nine months of 2018 went down 2 percent year-on-year, reaching only 194,391 units. Sales of imported vehicles dropped as much as 34 percent.

The decrease is attributed to the issuance of Decree No.116/2017 ND-CP on tightening automobile manufacturing and trade, which took effect on January 1, 2018. 

From the second quarter to the present, most enterprises have completed the procedures stipulated in Decree No.116/2017/ND-CP, and as such, the volume of imported cars has continued to increase. The supply of imported vehicles is forecast to become gradually more stable.