Updated

Automakers are showcasing a new generation of luxurious SUVs at China's biggest auto show of the year to lure buyers in its cooling, crowded market.

Honda Motor Co. on Monday held world debuts for two SUVs among dozens shown by global and local automakers. Sales of SUVs, the popular option on China's rough roads, soared 52 percent last year, the only product segment that still is growing in the world's biggest market. Sedan sales contracted by 5.3 percent and those of minivans plunged 17.5 percent.

The SUV boom is a financial lifeline to the industry but a flood of new models is crowding the market and squeezing products.