As one of the drivers of Buick’s sales surge in China in May 2025, the Buick GL8 full-size MPV lineup achieved record sales in the Asian country.
SAIC-GM announced that the Buick GL8 lineup set a new sales record in China, the only country where Buick’s best-selling family of vans is manufactured and marketed internationally. In fact, the GL8 lineup achieved its highest sales result so far in calendar year 2025 and consolidates its position as the best-selling in its category.
Specifically, the Buick GL8 lineup registered a total of 13,055 units sold in May 2025, setting a new monthly sales record, and the highest figure the nameplate has ever recorded this year. With this record, the GL8 consolidates its position as the best-selling multipurpose vehicle in the Chinese market thanks to the arrival of recently launched new energy models.
Buick GL8 LS PHEV
In fact, the all-new Buick GL8 LS and GL8 ES PHEV joined forces last month to lead a significant 92-percent month-over-month sales increase across the model lineup, SAIC-GM said. The joint venture says the GL8 LS with the most powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain on the market was a sales success in its first month on the market and projects an even stronger sales trajectory for the model lineup in the coming months.
Buick GL8 ES PHEV
Currently, the full Buick GL8 family lineup in China consists of a total of four variants from different generations sold simultaneously with their own distinct market focus – including internal combustion engine variants and the two latest new energy models. The lineup consists of the entry-level second-generation GL8, the all-new GL8 LS PHEV, the new GL8 ES, and the top-of-the-line GL8 Century.
The Buick GL8 full-size MPV lineup’s new monthly sales record has once again cemented its position as the segment leader in China, where it has a 26-year legacy of uninterrupted sales and currently boasts one of its strongest offerings ever. Buick is continuing its marketing and production efforts to capitalize on the strong initial demand for the GL8 LS PHEV, considered as the best entry-level NEV MPV on the market.
Comments
Great news for GM and Buick. A fantastic and technologically advanced line of products, they deserves success. When better automobiles are built…….etc. The Chinese sure do love their Buicks, and (all political issues aside) I suspect we Americans would love this GL8 line too.
Then why do only Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Kia sell minivans here?
If not the GL8 specifically many of their sedans would certainly be loved. I myself miss the supreme comfort of a minivan and even more the rarity of a luxury minivan.
GL8 will not meet US’s stringent safety regulations. For most of its history, GL8 was based on the ancient U-platform (that is why GM made boat-load of money with this minivan) and even the latest one despite being the size of Sienna/Odyssey/Pacifica, it is based on a smaller VSS-F platform to reduce price. As you can imagine smaller platform stretched to make it bigger is not safer than platform designed from the ground up to handle the dimensions. That is the thing with Chinese vehicles. When you see low sticker price on those Chinese vehicles (from Chinese manufacturer or otherwise) this will never translate to the price outside of Chinese market because it most likely does not meet stringent safety standards.
I’m surprised, given that the Buick GL8 is a top-seller, that GM wouldn’t consider offering it in the U.S.
There’s a reason why only a few manufacterers sell minivans/MPVs in the United States. It’s spelled SUV. Tell Americans they’re rugged mountaineers, and they’ll beg you to take their money.
I agree…..it’s just I’m so sick of seeing and reading about SUVs. They have now evolved to a point where they all look the same. Europe and Asia are being offered a whole new vehicle segment that the US closes its eyes to; the Luxury minivan/MPV. I for one am very interested by this new segment and would LOVE to buy one. But the offerings here in the US are still more utilitarian than luxury. Sigh….
It is because GL8 will not meet US’s stringent safety regulations. For most of its history, GL8 was based on the ancient U-platform (that is why GM made boat-load of money with this minivan) and even the latest one despite being the size of Sienna/Odyssey/Pacifica, it is based on a smaller VSS-F platform to reduce price. As you can imagine smaller platform stretched to make it bigger is not safer than platform designed from the ground up to handle the dimensions. That is the thing with Chinese vehicles. When you see low sticker price on those Chinese vehicles (from Chinese manufacturer or otherwise) this will never translate to the price outside of Chinese market because it most likely does not meet stringent safety standards.
Just what everybody needs…another fugly van. Keep it in China for heavens sake!
If Buick gave the US market the same treatment to its lineup it gives to its lineup in China, there wouldn’t be a debate on whether Buicks future in the US is in question. They would eat up potential new customers from failing Infiniti, Chrysler, and languishing Acura and possibly other customers from other brands. But as usual, GM thinks with its @$$ and not with its head.
The proof is in the numbers. Both Buick and Cadillac. They started giving their US lineup more attention and their sales and market share started growing back again. The new Enclave, in its Avenir trim, puts my XT5 to shame in how nice it is. But GM just cannot shake off their “just good enough” mentality rather than show any ambition to make Buick and Cadillac into anything beyond.
Good looking mom-mobile, if that’s what you want.
Who cares.
Interesting that it is outseling Denza D9 minivan by BYD eventhough people seem to be glazing BYD these days. I have a hunch that GL8’s PHEV powertrain is probably better than BYD’s DM-i PHEV system. Although I am not quite sure what exact PHEV setup GL8 has, if it was the same kind of architecture as used on the Volt, it would be no question more fuel efficient than the BYD’s DM-i. DM-i is like Honda’s hybrid in that it cannot charge the battery and power the wheels at the same time and only has one fixed inefficient ratio for higher speed cruising leading to significantly worse fuel economy at higher speed than the Volt setup or Toyota’s planetary power-split hybrid setup. Speaking of which begs the question, what’s Toyota doing? Toyota already has a PHEV minivan called Alphard/Vellfire that is sold in all Asian markets except China where it is MIA. Seems like Toyota don’t sell any PHEV in China for some reason……
GL8 Another model GM is missing out on besides sedans. and sport models .Gee what sport model will any 18 year old want to drive , Oh wait a minute GM does NOT provide any , remember SS”s from Chevy , Lemans, GTO, Firebirds from Pontiac , Cutlass ,442, W30, from Oldsmobile , Regal ,Grand Sport from Buick , any kid today would be excited with any of these BUT the intellectuals offer nothing close to these . How’s that working out for you GM when your buyers are going to All other manufactures for mini vans, sporty sedans and coupes .. How come Honda and Toyota provide all these selections ???
The minivan business in the U-S is big and profitable, just ask Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and Chrysler. Very peculiar that GM and Ford choose not to partake in a share of the cash.
It also means that kids that grow up in those minivans may turn to those brands for their first car, be it a Corolla or Cvic etc.
Building the GL8 in the US is easy. Beef up the safety and make a Chevy and Buick version and for Ford a Ford version and a Lincoln. Lincoln and Buick could sell their versions to livery services too
Lincoln tried it with the MKT and it successfully failed. I’d rather have a coach door Continental.
It’s obvious that Buick cares more about the Chinese market more than the American market, since Buick’s USA lineup consists of 4 boxy milk trucks that don’t sell well unless there are incentives, Buick will be China-only by 2030, unless there a change in Buick’s boxy milk truck policy.
Would be a great to see in North American Buick dealership show rooms.