Hanoi, Oct. 13 -- Imported cars outpaced domestically assembled ones in September, pushing the recovery of Vietnam's automobile market, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA).

VAMA reported that its members sold 30,688 vehicles of all types in September, up 18% from August but down 16% year-on-year. Notably, sales of completely built-up (CBU) imported cars surged 17%, in comparison to the 6% rise in domestically assembled Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicles, reflecting a strong consumer shift toward imported models.

Industry insiders viewed the growth as a sign that the auto sector is regaining momentum after a sluggish first half of the year, with consumer demand picking up ahead of the year-end shoppi...