BEIJING, Feb. 21 -- China's auto sales hit 1.89 million in January, up 13.81 percent year-on-year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) announced Friday.

China's auto output rose 11.33 percent from a year earlier to about 1.8 million units, the CAAM said in a statement.

Sales of passenger cars, including sedans, sport-utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles, climbed 16.2 percent to 1.53 million in January. Output reached 1.4 million, up 12.39 percent year-on-year.