Chinese car brands' growth checked by pricing

China's indigenous automotive brands lack pricing power and lag established global brands in major market segments such as sedans, challenges that are slowing their otherwise rapid ascent in the world's biggest auto market, an industry executive said.

"Even as Chinese local brand cars experience rapid growth and progress, there are some relatively big competitive pressures," Zhu Huarong, President of Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, told the Global Automotive Forum, a two-day industry conference that opened on Monday in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing.

Zhu's words of caution come as global automakers are increasingly concerned about a steady market share loss to Chinese brands at a time when the overall market's growth is slowing.

Chinese brands held 31.4 percent share of the Chinese passenger auto market last year, rising nearly 2 percentage points since 2013, according to data compiled by Changan.

But in the more mature and competitive sedan market, Chinese brand market share has fallen from 27 percent four years ago to 18.7 percent in the first four months of this year, Changan's data shows.