Chine
FAW
FAW (First Automotive Works, "Yiqi" in Mandarin) is China's oldest automaker. The state-owned company was founded on July 15, 1953, in Changchun, in Jilin province, in the northeastern part of the country, as part of the first Five-Year Plan and with technical assistance from the Soviet Union. In 1956, its first plant rolled out the Jiefang CA-10 truck, derived from the Soviet ZIS-150. In 1958, FAW became the first Chinese manufacturer to produce a national passenger car and, that same year, launched the prestige brand Hongqi ("Red Flag"), followed in 1959 by the official CA72 limousine. For decades, Hongqi served exclusively the country's top state officials and the military. Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, FAW grew through major joint ventures with foreign manufacturers: FAW-Volkswagen (Volkswagen, Audi, Jetta) and FAW-Toyota, which account for the bulk of its volumes. Today, FAW is one of China's "Big Four" state-owned automakers, alongside SAIC, Dongfeng and Changan. The group has more than 120,000 employees and total assets on the order of several hundred billion yuan. In addition to its joint ventures, FAW sells its own brands: Hongqi (premium and luxury) and Bestune (Benteng, created in 2006, for mainstream cars). Since 2018-2019, Hongqi has undergone a spectacular revival, going from confidential production volumes to hundreds of thousands of units per year, with a modernized lineup that includes electric models (E-HS9). In North America, FAW has no established commercial presence: there is neither a dealer network nor mainstream certification in Canada or the United States. Hongqi began an entry into Mexico in 2025 through local distributors, but FAW vehicles remain absent from the Canadian market.
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History
History of FAW
FAW (First Automotive Works, "Yiqi" in Mandarin) is China's oldest automaker. The state-owned company was founded on July 15, 1953, in Changchun, in Jilin province, in the northeastern part of the country, as part of the first Five-Year Plan and with technical assistance from the Soviet Union. In 1956, its first plant rolled out the Jiefang CA-10 truck, derived from the Soviet ZIS-150. In 1958, FAW became the first Chinese manufacturer to produce a national passenger car and, that same year, launched the prestige brand Hongqi ("Red Flag"), followed in 1959 by the official CA72 limousine. For decades, Hongqi served exclusively the country's top state officials and the military. Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, FAW grew through major joint ventures with foreign manufacturers: FAW-Volkswagen (Volkswagen, Audi, Jetta) and FAW-Toyota, which account for the bulk of its volumes. Today, FAW is one of China's "Big Four" state-owned automakers, alongside SAIC, Dongfeng and Changan. The group has more than 120,000 employees and total assets on the order of several hundred billion yuan. In addition to its joint ventures, FAW sells its own brands: Hongqi (premium and luxury) and Bestune (Benteng, created in 2006, for mainstream cars). Since 2018-2019, Hongqi has undergone a spectacular revival, going from confidential production volumes to hundreds of thousands of units per year, with a modernized lineup that includes electric models (E-HS9). In North America, FAW has no established commercial presence: there is neither a dealer network nor mainstream certification in Canada or the United States. Hongqi began an entry into Mexico in 2025 through local distributors, but FAW vehicles remain absent from the Canadian market.
Public founding or origin of FAW.
Bestune T77: launch or first listed period.
Hongqi CA72: launch or first listed period.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
FAW concentrates its research effort on the Hongqi brand, to which it devotes more than 10% of its revenue in R&D. The group has developed several technology building blocks: turbocharged gasoline powertrains (1.5 L families and larger), high-efficiency electric drivetrains, dedicated platforms for electric and hybrid vehicles, an intelligent drive-by-wire chassis, and driver-assistance systems. The Hongqi range covers gasoline, hybrid and fully electric sedans and SUVs, including the large electric E-HS9 SUV. Bestune models rely on modular compact platforms (the A platform), small-displacement turbo engines and dual-clutch transmissions, with a strong emphasis on connectivity and in-car screens aimed at a young clientele.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
China's oldest automaker, FAW combines a state-owned luxury brand (Hongqi) with mainstream cars (Bestune), both still absent from the Canadian market.
Reputation
Still little known outside China, FAW enjoys an image associated mainly with Hongqi, perceived as the historic luxury brand of the Chinese state. Hongqi's recent revival (E-HS9, premium sedans) has been judged credible by several international road tests, which praise its presence, generous equipment and competitive pricing against European luxury brands. Long-term reliability and resale value, however, remain difficult to assess given the lack of track record and of a network outside China. In Canada, the complete absence of official distribution makes the brand nonexistent for consumers, and any resale value there would be virtually nil.
Strengths
As the oldest and one of the largest Chinese automakers, FAW benefits from state support, solid joint ventures with Volkswagen and Toyota, and a substantial R&D effort, especially on Hongqi. The luxury brand offers well-equipped vehicles at competitive prices and a rapidly expanding electric range, carried by a strong heritage image in China.
Points to watch
Outside China, FAW suffers from low brand awareness, a nearly nonexistent service network, and no official presence in Canada. Long-term reliability and resale value lack a track record internationally. Its reliance on joint ventures for volumes and its exposure to trade barriers targeting Chinese vehicles pose risks to its expansion in North America.
Models
FAW models
Current or active models by market
Notable past models
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
FAW is based in Changchun, where its main historic plants are located. The group operates five major production sites in China: Changchun (Jilin), Foshan (Guangdong), Chengdu (Sichuan), Qingdao (Shandong) and Tianjin, with additional facilities spread across several provinces. These plants cover the company's own brands (Hongqi, Bestune) as well as the FAW-Volkswagen and FAW-Toyota joint ventures. In North America, FAW has no plant or assembly operation: production remains entirely Chinese. An isolated attempt to modify the Hongqi CA770 took place in Brampton, Ontario, in the late 1980s, but the company responsible went bankrupt in 1989. Hongqi is aiming for international expansion, including a first commercial foothold in Mexico in 2025.
Tires and wheels
With no official presence in Canada, the tire and wheel sizes for FAW vehicles (Hongqi, Bestune) do not follow an established local standard, but remain common Chinese metric formats. Compact SUVs such as the Bestune T77 generally use mid-diameter wheels (around 17 to 19 inches depending on the trim), while large Hongqi sedans and SUVs adopt larger diameters. The bolt pattern falls within the usual standards for passenger vehicles. For any vehicle of this type driven in Quebec, certified winter tires are mandatory and essential; the buyer must confirm the exact size shown on the door jamb before placing any order.