November passenger car sales up 18% following tax cut

Frigid, hazy weather may have aided an 18% upswing in November passenger vehicle sales in China, Bloomberg reported, citing figures from the China Passenger Car Association. Among the 2.02 million cars sold SUVs continued to be the most popular choice, followed by minivans, while sedan sales fell, according to the group. A presentation accompanying the association’s sales statistics claimed that the “unusual cold was followed by off-the-charts smog levels. Those with children are more inclined to buy cars, given the perception that the air inside a vehicle is cleaner.” An October cut to China’s auto purchasing tax after nine months of slowing demand probably didn’t hurt, either.