Imported vehicles with nine seats or less - and engine displacement of 1,500cc or less - will enjoy a cut from the current tax rate of 45 per cent to 40 per cent, beginning this July 1. — VNS Photo Doan Tung

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Lawmakers decided to reduce tax on vehicles with small engine displacement, while increasing tax on vehicles with engine displacement of more than 2,500cc. Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders.

The changes are part of the revised Law on Special Consumption Tax approved by a majority of National Assembly delegates on April 6.

The Special Consumption Tax tariff on autos will see lot of changes with the new regulations.

Imported vehicles with nine seats or less - and engine displacement of 1,500cc or less - will enjoy a cut from the current tax rate of 45 per cent to 40 per cent, beginning this July 1. The tax rate will be further reduced to 35 per cent on January 1, 2018.

Tax on vehicles with engine displacement of more than 1,500-2,000cc will remain at 45 per cent of the car's value until December 31, 2017. The tax rate on this category of vehicles will then decrease to 40 per cent on January 1, 2018.

As for vehicles with engine displacement of more than 2,000-2,500cc, the tax rate will remain at the current rate of 50 per cent.

Lawmakers decided to raise taxes on vehicles with engine displacement of more than 2,500-3,000cc. The current tax rate of 50 per cent will rise to 55 per cent, as of July 1 this year. The tax rate for this category of vehicles will rise to 60 per cent on January 1, 2018.

Vehicles with high engine displacement of over 3,000cc will see their tax rate increase sharply from their current tax rate of 60 per cent.

A tax rate of 90 per cent will be levied on vehicles with engine displacement of more than 3,000-4,000cc. And a tax rate of 110 per cent will be levied on vehicles with engine displacement of more than 4,000-5,000cc. Vehicles with engine displacement of more than 5,000cc will be taxed at 130 per cent. And vehicles with engine displacment of 6,000cc will be taxed at 150 per cent.

Meanwhile, motorhomes will be taxed at 70 per cent as of July 1 this year. The motorhome tax rate will rise to 75 per cent on January 1, 2018.

The new tax rates will be effective as of July 1 this year.

The Viet Nam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA) predicts that about 260,000 autos will be sold this year, a 10 per cent increase from last year. — VNS