While joint-venture automakers lament the brutal price war, with dealers refusing to take deliveries or even exiting the network entirely, GAC Toyota, which long withdrew from price wars, has been quietly making a fortune. Now, in 2025, it’s ready to strike again and aim for another million in sales.
GAC Toyota is breaking industry anxiety with an astonishing set of data: In 2024, intelligent hybrid models accounted for 48% of total sales. Meanwhile, the Camry, Highlander, and Sienna remain firmly in the top three of their respective market segments, showcasing a trend of high-quality growth.
Even more intriguing is that in 2025, when EV subsidies recede and price wars intensify, GAC Toyota is set to launch major new intelligent vehicles, including the bZ3X, the all-new redesigned Wildlander, and the bZ7. This unexpected comeback move has silenced those waiting to see joint-venture automakers fail.
While new energy carmakers struggle with "range anxiety" and traditional automakers argue over whether to abandon hybrids, GAC Toyota has quietly built a hybrid empire with hidden "nuclear weapons." From the 100,000 RMB-class Levin to the 300,000 RMB-class Sienna, its entire lineup is now hybridized.
Sales data from 2024 shows that 64% of Camrys sold were hybrids, Highlander sales increased by 7% year-on-year, and the fully hybridized Sienna, priced above 300,000 RMB, topped the luxury MPV rankings, far surpassing traditional competitors like the GM GL8. Additionally, hybrid models boast a three-year retention rate exceeding 75%, crushing all new energy startups—thanks to Toyota’s 27 years of accumulated hybrid technology.
Achieving an ultra-low fuel consumption of just 4L per 100 km without the need for charging stations, along with a lifetime warranty on the hybrid battery—this is Toyota's hybrid technology delivering a game-changing advantage over the market. In third- and fourth-tier cities where charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped, GAC Toyota’s hybrid models are dominating the market with a seamless, hassle-free experience.
Hybrid technology has become the "hard currency" in an economic downturn, and GAC Toyota is making the entire industry tremble!
If Chinese automakers have leveraged new energy vehicles for an overtaking maneuver, then intelligent technology is now becoming the new shortcut for joint-venture automakers.
While outsiders still doubt the smart capabilities of joint-venture brands, GAC Toyota has already unveiled its "killer combo": The Sienna Robotaxi, equipped with Pony.ai’s L3 autonomous driving technology, is undergoing road tests in Beijing and Guangzhou. Its intelligent cockpit, co-developed with Huawei, is set to debut soon, while the bZ3X and bZ7, featuring Momenta’s map-free autonomous driving technology, will be officially delivered in 2025.
With its "borrowed ship to sail" strategy, GAC Toyota has shortened its development cycle by at least two years compared to competitors. Global strategic hybrid models and next-generation intelligent electric vehicles will all feature advanced autonomous driving technology, presenting an even more formidable challenge than emerging EV startups.
Backed by GAC Group and Toyota, GAC Toyota is not just a follower of EV startups—it is an integrator of the smart ecosystem. By deeply integrating with local tech giants like Tencent, Huawei, and Momenta, GAC Toyota is building a unique "Toyota technology core + Chinese intelligent ecosystem" model.
The soon-to-be-released bZ3X marks the first milestone in GAC Toyota’s push toward smart electric vehicle dominance, with its intelligent features set to disrupt the 150,000 RMB EV market.
While other joint-venture automakers are scaling back, GAC Toyota is evolving to fit the Chinese market, capturing the wave of new energy while maintaining a stronghold in traditional fuel vehicles. The bZ3X (a BEV mid-size SUV), the all-new Wildlander, and the bZ7 (a BEV premium sedan) are the three "deep-water bombs" set to hit the market in 2025!
If Tesla is the Columbus discovering a new continent in the EV market, then GAC Toyota is Magellan, completing the first global circumnavigation. GAC Toyota is executing a precise "three-front battle" strategy: hybrids to hold the ground, global models to conquer the premium market, and intelligent EVs to create new growth avenues—leading to a "Normandy landing" for joint-venture automakers in 2025.
In the turbulent waters of intelligent transformation, GAC Toyota is not a radical disruptor but a steady navigator—anchoring its course with Toyota’s hybrid technology while raising its sails to catch the winds of China’s smart ecosystem.
Supported by five factories with a combined annual production capacity of one million vehicles, GAC Toyota has demonstrated exceptional cost control: The new TNGA platform has increased parts standardization to 80%, and Toyota’s next-generation factory model—soon to be introduced—will reduce manufacturing costs by another 15%. No other automaker has the credentials to challenge Toyota on profitability.
Even at the height of the price war, the Camry still offers discounts of nearly 30,000 RMB, while the Highlander’s entry price has dropped into the 250,000 RMB range. This isn’t just price-cutting—it’s a strategic release of GAC Toyota’s systematic advantages.
While some brands rely on delaying supplier payments or lowering quality control to wage price wars, GAC Toyota optimizes costs through a dual-track approach of global procurement and localized production—ensuring high quality while maintaining affordability. This "best of both worlds" approach makes its vehicles the top choice in an era of intense market anxiety.
As the "Black Myth" becomes reality, automakers caught in the auto industry’s internal struggle need their own set of "72 transformations." While others battle fiercely in price wars, GAC Toyota has already made hybrids more economical than EVs. Now, it aims to surpass emerging EV startups in smart cars.
GAC Toyota proves that true strength doesn’t follow the herd. When the price war plunges the industry into a "dark forest," this joint-venture automaker has built a moat with hybrid technology, opened new frontiers with smart technology, and established an unmatched competitive edge with its million-unit production capacity.
Let’s face it: If even GAC Toyota can’t defend the joint-venture automakers’ position, then China’s market landscape is truly set for a transformation.
One of the biggest questions for the 2025 auto market is—how will this joint-venture automaker, the one that understands the Chinese market best, dominate the competition? Share your predictions in the comments!
