Motor vehicle sales show rebound in May, up 19.7%

After a four-month slump, motor vehicle sales recovered in May with a dramatic 19.7 percent increase to 30,620 units from 25,583 units in April, although sales still posted negative on a year-to-date basis, official industry data showed.

Joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed that on a monthly basis, sales in May posted a strong recovery versus April but it was still 13 percent behind May 2017 sales of 35,469 units.

The growth was supported by the 35.4 percent increase in commercial vehicle sales to 21,219 units from 15,673 units in April although this was still 10.8 percent lower than the 23,779 units sold in May 2017. Passenger car sales registered a negative 5.1 percent to 9,401 units against April’s 9,910 units.

All categories posted positive led by light commercial vehicles with 36.7 percent growth to 15,095 units from 11,045 units in April last year and Asian utility vehicles with 33.9 percent growth to 4,606 units from 3,439 units and light trucks with 31 percent growth for 760 units sold versus 580 units in April.

Most improved was category V (trucks and buses) with 57.8 percent growth to 273 units from 173 units. Category IV grew by 11.2 percent to 485 units from 436 units in April.

On a year to date, however, sales reached only 142,240 units or 10.3 percent lower than the 158,533 units in the same period last year. The passenger car segment declined by 9.3 percent to 48,218 units from 53,503 units while the commercial vehicle segment declined by 10.5 percent to 94,022 units from 105,030 units.

Sales of Asian utility vehicles took the steepest decline of 26.8 percent to 23,218 units from 31,701 units followed by light commercial vehicles or the sports utility vehicle category which fell 26.7 percent to 2,767 units from 3,776 units in the same period last year.

However, category V (trucks and buses) registered the highest gains of 36 percent to 956 units from 703 in the same five-month period last year while category IV improved by 11.8 percent to 2,012 units from 1,800 units last year.

Toyota Motor Philippines sold 61,733 units year to date followed by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines with 26,890 units.

Most improved was Nissan Philippines, Inc., which used to be outside the top 3 sellers, is now backed in the game at the third place with sales of 10,471 units or 22.5 percent growth from 8,550 units.