April car sales up 21.8% year on year
MOTOR vehicle sales slowed in April from a month earlier but were markedly higher year on year, automakers reported on Wednesday.
A total of 37,314 units left showrooms last month, down 0.4 percent from the 37,474 sold in March, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) said.
The count, however, is 21.8 percent higher than the year-earlier 30,643 and brought January-April sales to 146,920 units, 14.8 percent more than the comparable period’s 127,927.
“On the demand side, positive consumer and business confidence plus stability in automotive finance boosted sales,” Campi President Rommel
Gutierrez said in a statement.
Commercial vehicles continued to dominate sales at 108,667 units, 13.4 percent up year on year and accounting for 74 percent of year-to-date sales.
April sales alone totaled 27,272 units, 16.9 percent up from a year earlier but down 0.4 percent from March.
Passenger cars, meanwhile, registered sales of 38,280 units — 26 percent of total sales — and were 19.4 percent more than the 32,070 recorded 12 months earlier.
Last month’s count was 10,069 units, 0.57 percent lower compared to March.
Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. continued to lead the market, having sold 17,913 units in April. This was 26.8 percent more compared to a year earlier and 7.9 percent up from March.
Year to date, Toyota grew sales to 67,580 units, 13.9 percent higher year on year and equivalent to a 46-percent market share.
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. remained second with April sales of 6,961, down 8.4 percent from the previous month but up 24 percent year on year.
The automaker has now sold 27,828 units year to date, 19.0 percent higher and enough for 18.94 percent of the market.
Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc., in third, sold 2,157 units in April, down 8.3 percent from March and 0.9 percent a year earlier. Year-to-date sales, however, were 20.1 percent higher at
9,688 for a 6.59-percent market share.
Rounding out the top five were Nissan Philippines Inc. (9,375 units year to date, up 10.2 percent and 6.38 percent of the market) and Suzuki Phils. Inc. (6,117 units, 12.5 percent higher year on year and equivalent to a 4.16-percent share).
Campi’s Gutierrez said this year’s sales would also be boosted by the government’s decision to expand the list of electric vehicles (EVs) exempted from tariffs.
“Campi is expecting improvement in EV sales ratio this year considering EO (Executive Order) 12 support,” he said, noting that “in 2023, the combined EV sales were only 2.5 percent of total sales.”
He also cited the Department of Energy’s implementation of higher biofuel blends beginning October 2024 through EO 20 and pointed out that new vehicles were already compatible with B3 biodiesel.
Still, Campi said that compliance remained voluntary.