BEIJING — China's pickup truck market continued robust growth in February with sales soaring year-on-year, industry data showed.

A total of 32,000 units were sold last month, up 507 percent from the low base of the same period last year due to COVID-19 disruptions, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

The figure exceeded that of February 2019 when 28,000 units were sold, the association said.

Pickup trucks, which combine the features of passenger and commercial vehicles, have become increasingly popular in the country in recent years.

The association expects continuous recovery of the pickup truck market, citing the increase in passenger car demand driven by steady rebound of China's economy and the new business models that emerged amid the epidemic.

China has made efforts to facilitate the entry of pickup trucks into cities in recent years. Earlier this month, the country's commerce ministry issued a guideline calling on local authorities to promptly relax restrictions on the entry of pickup trucks into cities to further boost automobile consumption.