What is the difference between National 5 and National 6 vehicles?
2 Answers
National 5 and National 6 vehicles differ in the following aspects: 1. Price difference: National 6 vehicles are equipped with additional components compared to National 5, and automakers also incur extra costs from vehicle declaration, various tests, and production. This results in National 6 vehicles being significantly more expensive than National 5 vehicles. 2. Vehicle retirement timeline difference: For example, 2010 National 3 trucks and 2010 National 4 trucks can still operate in Beijing, but as more cities impose restrictions on older vehicles, they are effectively phased out. Therefore, even for vehicles of the same year, their operational timelines may differ. 3. Road access rights and entry restrictions: Many local policies impose traffic restrictions on low-emission standard vehicles, with some older emission standard vehicles even being completely banned from roads, leading to limited or prohibited access in certain areas. 4. Residual value difference: Due to retirement timelines, road access restrictions, and entry limitations in certain areas, vehicles with the same condition but different emission standards can have significantly different residual values. Additionally, vehicles with excessively low emission standards are harder to sell.
I've been driving for decades, and the biggest difference between China 5 and China 6 lies in the environmental emission standards. China 5 was implemented starting in 2017, with relatively looser pollutant controls. However, since China 6 came into effect in 2019, the emission requirements have become much stricter, with reductions of nearly half in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. Technically, China 6 vehicles must be equipped with particulate filters to trap exhaust particles, resulting in quieter operation and less smoke. In terms of price, new China 6 vehicles might cost a few thousand yuan more, but they have higher resale value in the used car market and are easier to register in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. From a driving experience perspective, there's not much change in power and fuel consumption. When it's time to change cars, I recommend China 6—it's more cost-effective and environmentally friendly in the long run.
