Hongqi Enters Thailand: What's the "National Car" Playing in Southeast Asia?

Core Data/Events ● Deal Signed: On January 31, FAW Import & Export signed a general distributor agreement with Thailand’s Metro Group in Changchun, covering in-depth cooperation in sales, marketing, and after-sales service for the Hongqi brand in the Thai market. ● First Model: Hongqi plans to introduce its first model in Thailand—the full-size electric SUV E-HS9—in March 2025, with official sales expected to commence mid-year. The 2026 sales target is 100 units. ● Distributor Profile: Metro Group, with over 70 years of history in Thailand, operates authorized dealerships for Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, and Zeekr. ● Group Target: Hongqi achieved global sales of 460,000 units in 2025, up 11.7% YoY. Its 2026 target is 550,000 units, with overseas sales expected to exceed 70,000 units.

In-Depth Analysis

Channel Strategy: Letting “Veterans” Lead the Way

Unlike BYD and GWM, which built their own channels in Thailand, Hongqi opted for “veteran guidance”—Metro Group simultaneously represents Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Zeekr. This means Metro deeply understands how Japanese and German luxury brands operate in Thailand, as well as the localization pain points of Chinese brands (Zeekr). For Hongqi, this is the fastest route to cut into Thailand’s premium market with minimal trial-and-error costs.

Sales Target: A “Temperature-Taking” Exercise

A 2026 target of 100 units is remarkably “restrained” for a new entrant. The signal: Hongqi is in no rush to scale volume in Thailand. Instead, it aims to establish brand positioning and penetrate elite circles through the flagship E-HS9. Volume expansion will likely wait until 2027, when a local assembly plant is operational and PHEV models are introduced. This aligns with Hongqi’s 2026 overseas target of 70,000 units—Thailand is just the starting point, with Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and other RHD markets forming a larger chessboard.

Industry Insights

No One-Size-Fits-All Channel Strategy: Direct sales vs agents have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the premium segment, leveraging local top-tier distributors’ experience and networks often proves more efficient than building channels from scratch. The key is finding partners with both “luxury brand service experience” and “Chinese brand understanding.”

Rhythm Matters More Than Speed: The 100-unit annual target may seem conservative, but it’s strategically sound. Establish benchmarks and penetrate circles with flagship models first, then scale after localization—this beats diving straight into price wars.

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