Motor vehicle sales by an all-importers group - Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) - grew 14 percent in 2021, with Ford Group Philippines Inc.(FGPI) and Suzuki Philippines Inc. besting 10 other brands in the group.
Based on the AVID data, the group sold 58,916 units versus 51,851 units sold in the same period last year, or 14 percent year to date growth despite a slack in sales in the last month of the year.
Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) recorded the largest segment market share with 73 percent, and 23 percent increase in sales from the 34,896 units in 2020 to 42,871 units sold this year. The performance in LCVs was strong enough to offset the decline in car sales, which went down by 9 percent to 15,092 units from 16,650 units in 2020.
FGPI consistently led the segment with 18,324 units sold, coming in second is Suzuki with 11,314 units, and Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP), the official local distributor of Geely in the Philippines, third with 6,104 units sold. Commercial Vehicles (CV) grew by an impressive 212 percent (YTD).
Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) trucks and buses takes the lead with 206 percent growth, or from 305 units sold in 2020 to 936 units sold in 2021.
Passenger Cars (PC) remained the most affected by quarantine measures with 9 percent contraction in sales from 16,650 units sold in 2020 to 15,092 units in 2021. Despite the year-on-year drop of 28 percent, the segment’s month-on-month performance gradually improved by 3 percent with Suzuki at the lead with 8,079 units sold followed by Hyundai with 4,639 units sold.
However, sales in December went down 8 percent to 5,259 units from 5,694 units last year with passenger cars slumping by as much as 28 percent to 1,140 units versus 1,592 units in the same month last year. In addition, LCV sales remained flat for the month.
Overall, FGPI led the 12-member AVID with total sales of 20,005 units from 14,775 units in 2020 followed by Suzuki with 19,393 units and HARI slipping to the third slot with 9,061 units sold. SGAP ranked fourth with 6,104 units.
AVID President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo cited the growth to the increasing need for mobility. “You cannot downplay the importance of mobility in the reopening of the economy, gradual though it may be,” said said.
“With unwavering confidence in the market and in the quality of our product and service offerings, AVID members are determined to build on these gains and look forward to an even better normal in 2022,” conclude Agudo, who is also president and CEO of HARI.