Thai car sales up 10% in February 2016 vs January

Honda_Accord-18

Following its sharp dip in sales performance recorded in January 2016, the Thai auto industry looks to be picking itself back up in February. According to a report by Headlight Magazine, industry-wide sales across all brands have gone up by 10% (5,272 units) against the previous month.

On the surface, however, it’s starting to look like the Thai Eco Car Phase 2’s tax incentives for eco-friendly cars have yet to inject any significant boosts in local sales performance. To recap, the country which previously awarded incentives to vehicles with a certain engine size has now opened the incentives to all vehicles, basing the amount of incentives on CO2 emissions instead.

Specifically for the month of February 2016, the Thai auto industry recorded a total of 57,093 vehicles sold. Comparatively, the total figure for the month before is listed at 51,821, while the same period last year registered a total sale of 62,949 vehicles.

2015 reveal of Toyota HiLux (SR5 double cab pre-production model shown).

Moving along, it appears that Toyota maintained its lead in overall sales by brand. The car maker recorded a 12.4% sales improvement over the previous month, selling 15,569 units in February 2016. Isuzu, thanks to its impressive pick-up truck sales, trailed closely behind with 12,171 units sold in the month.

Honda marked the biggest upwards stride of any manufacturer in February 2016, boosting sales by 43.6% (2,450 units) against the previous month, selling a total of 8,063 vehicles. As you’ll discover below, the new Honda BR-V contributed significantly to this. Completing the manufacturer’s sales performance list were Mitsubishi (4,865), Nissan (3,602), Mazda (3,542), Ford (2,799), Suzuki (1,557) and Chevrolet (1,060).

Looking at specific segments in the Thai market and it appears that the Toyota Yaris maintained its comfortable lead in the eco car class, moving 2,352 units in February this year. The Nissan Almera came second with 1,076 units sold, while the Mitsubishi Attrage was next with 720 units.

Honda maintained its stronghold over the Thai B-segment with the Honda City leading sales figures with 2,809 units sold in the month. It is followed by the Mazda 2 Sedan and Hatchback, of which 1,881 units were sold collectively. The Honda Jazz kept up the chase with 1,853 units.

The Toyota Corolla Altis crushed its C-segment contenders with a commanding sales performance of 1,136 units sold. Both the Mazda 3 Sedan and Hatchback accounted for just 361 sold, tailed by the Nissan Sylphy which moved just 90 units.

Higher up the ladder, the facelifted Honda Accord only arrived late in February, which doesn’t give it much of a chance against the hot-selling Toyota Camry. The latter is still king of the D-segment hill with 453 units sold last month, followed by the Accord with 185 units and the Nissan Teana with just 42 units.

Honda did however manage to crush its competition in the SUV and MPV segments. The new BR-V SUV edged its sibling, the Honda HR-V, selling 1,486 units sold compared to the latter’s 1,155 units. The Mobilio maintained its MPV segment top spot in February, but faced new competition in the form of the Suzuki Ertiga which snatched second place with 113 units sold in the month. They are followed by the Toyota Avanza which sold just 14 units in the same period.

The facelifted Mazda CX-5 and the Honda CR-V managed to topple the Nissan X-Trail’s lead among the C-segment SUVs. A total of 278 units of the CX-5 were sold, trailed by 268 units of the CR-V and 169 units of the X-trail.

The new Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara NP300 and Mitsubishi Triton were all forced behind the nation’s hottest pick-up model, the Isuzu D-Max. A staggering total of 11,245 D-Max pick-ups were sold in the month, hugely contributing to the brand’s overall second place standing behind Toyota. Only the new Hilux got close to it with 8,134 units sold.

In Malaysia, meanwhile, a total of 37,876 vehicles were registered in February 2016, down from the previous month’s total of 44,591 vehicles sold. Read more here.

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Chris Aaron

With an equal passion for fast cars and everyday workhorses, Chris Aaron maintains a passion for European makes, Formula 1, playing the electric guitar and spending endless hours on the PlayStation - first-person shooters and the Gran Turismo franchise are his favourites. He also finds it strange to have written this in the third person.

 

Comments

  • nehhh on Mar 28, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    Expecting DrM bapak automobile Thailand comment

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • Oso expect ini semua salah Na….. comments

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
      • Muniandy Periasamy on Mar 29, 2016 at 9:23 am

        In Malaysia, let us do a different thing. Please continue to starve the car companies again this year. Try your best to use your old car. Spread the word around and tell everybody not to buy new cars in 2016.

        You will see, these greedy car companies, will start to drop their prices.

        It is up to all of us. If you want cheaper cars, stop buying them for a while. you can buy in 2017 or 2018.
        If you urgently need a car, go buy a 2nd hand car. Let us choke and suffocate these vultures.

        Malaysians are fed up. Car companies pretend to blame the Government and tax for high prices. Government pulak blame car companies for high prices. Both pretend to blame each other BUT the truth is, they are doing a drama for the rakyat.

        In truth, Government virtually owns ALL car companies in Malaysia indirectly. It is the Government that is screwing with us with high car prices but pretending to blame these car brands.

        Let us do our part. Let us not buy any cars in 2016 and 2017

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 0
        • Gov do have shares in automotive companies, but often the majority holder/s makes the direction & decision, which the Gov doesnt have.

          Gov is liberalising the industry and instead, Najib is focusing on public transport rather than cars.

          So my suggestion is buy 2nd hand if cannot afford new, as long as its safe. Dun buy another moving coffin. If can afford new, buy a safe car (ie Picanto, Iriz, Preve, City) and not jepunis moving coffins.

          Just Say NO to Moving Coffins.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • Tak laku on Mar 28, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    Proton Thailand sales info is missing or simply skip it?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • 4G63T DSM on Mar 29, 2016 at 9:51 am

    MAA says February shorter month…so less sales (forgetting to mention this Feb had 1 extra day over last year).

    Thailand sales go up in the shorter month over January.

    Continue to starve the car companies…and you also continue to starve the government! Starve the freeloading AP holders. They are no more than tax collecting agents for the government.

    Buy USED if you have to. Stick to your old faithful for another few more years if you can. Support your local mechanic….keep the oldies running.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
 

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