Passenger vehicle exports, by both domestic and foreign companies, surged in the first four months of the year, according to the latest statistics.

From January to April, exports of sedans, sport-utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles, and minivans accelerated 24 percent from a year ago to 194,200 units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Overall, automobile exports increased by a more modest 12.7 percent to 316,000 units during the same period, dragged down by a 1.7 percent dip in the exports of commercial vehicles, to 121,900 units.