Vehicle sales climb at slower pace, hit by cities' restrictions

Passenger-vehicle sales rose at a slower pace in China last year as economic growth moderated and more cities imposed purchase restrictions in the world's largest auto market.

Retail deliveries climbed 10 percent to 18.9 million vehicles last year, slowing from the 17 percent gain in 2013, the China Passenger Car Association said on Friday on its website. Minivans and SUVs remained the fastest-growing segments, while sedan sales growth fell to 5 percent from 13 percent.

China's economy is forecast to have grown at the slowest pace since 1990 last year, damping buying sentiment. Carmakers and dealerships have also been hurt by limits Chinese cities' imposed on new vehicles to fight pollution and traffic congestion. The southern city of Shenzhen last month started capping new car license plates at 100,000 a year, following other Chinese cities in setting such quotas.