China's passenger car sales rose 4.2 percent in February from the same period last year, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed Tuesday.

A total of 1.25 million passenger vehicles were sold in February, down 40 percent from the previous month.

In the first two months this year, passenger car sales stood at 3.32 million units, slightly down from the same period last year, the CPCA said.

About 160,000 luxury cars were sold in February, down 3 percent year on year and down 44 percent from the previous month.

Luxury car retail sales increased sharply in early January from the previous month, but the growth momentum did not last in February, said the CPCA.

In 2021, China's auto sales rose 3.8 percent year on year to 26.28 million units, ending a downward trend that began in 2018.