Consistent with its performance during the first two quarters of the year, pioneer compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines finished the third quarter with yet another strong showing, enabling the company to post 6 percent sales growth for the first nine months of the year compared with the same period in 2017.
Despite the industry slowdown these past months resulting from market reaction to the first-phase implementation of the TRAIN Law and the inflation surges, Suzuki PH said it was able to steadily increase its sales this year, with total volume exceeding 14,600 units as of September.
The continued uptick reflects the brand’s strategic marketing efforts, which focused on back-to-back promotions and participation in various auto shows in recent months. SPH is looking to maximizing the momentum of its recent successes as it pushes through the remaining months of 2018.
“With the economic challenges and diversifying market demands, it is important more than ever to become flexible yet aggressive with our efforts to make sure that the Suzuki brand will maintain, if not surpass, its current performance.” shared Director and General Manager for Automobile, Keiichi Suzuki.
“We do not intend to compromise our commitment to provide only the best-value vehicles to Filipinos no matter what challenges come along the way. We will continue driving forward and sharing the Suzuki Way of Life with even more Filipinos,” he added.
Top performers: Ertiga, Celerio and Vitara
The Ertiga, Celerio and Vitara remain the Suzuki best-sellers. The three award-winning models accounted for 59 percent of total sales from January to September this year.
The well-loved family vehicle Ertiga still dominates the Suzuki auto sales chart with a 33 percent share. The 7-seater Ertiga delivers utility, power and cost efficiency without scrimping on top-tier functionality and maximum accommodation, making it ideal for practical Filipino families seeking superior riding comfort.
The second top-performing model is again the Celerio with a 14 percent share of total sales. Awarded as the Best Value-for-Money in the standard mini category in last year’s Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards (AFMCA), the Celerio hatchback features a compact design but delivers power and efficiency for a fun and versatile city drive.
The Vitara, which celebrates its first year in the Philippine market this month, remains one of the top three best-performing models with a 12 percent sales share. Named the 2017 CAGI Car of the Year in the Subcompact Crossover category, the new Vitara boasts flexible personalization features in a stylish design. It delivers enhanced driving and safety qualities, making it the best city drive for Filipino millennials.
Back-to-back promotions and marketing initiatives
Suzuki’s active participation in the major activities of the Filipino driving community was a major contributor to the company’s sustained sales growth.
Suzuki Philippines showcased its range of innovative vehicles in the relevant auto shows of the year – the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) and the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) – to expand influence and strengthen market foothold.
At the recently concluded PIMS 2018 themed “Future Mobility,” SPH displayed its latest and best-performing models delivering superior fuel economy, distinct styling and innovative features. These are the all-new Swift and Dzire, Vitara and Ciaz. During the five-day event, the much-awaited all-new Jimny also made its first public debut in the Philippines. Details about the official launch and release of the all-new Jimny in the local market will be revealed soon.
Earlier this year, SPH participated in MIAS 2018 where the best-selling and award-winning Suzuki models Vitara, Ciaz and Ertiga were exhibited. The recently launched all-new Dzire was also put on display.
Suzuki said: “We are more than grateful for the consistently warm response of the Filipino market. This continues to inspire us to deliver on the promise of making best-value and innovative vehicles accessible to even more Filipinos, which is why we are very active in joining the activities of the local automotive community. To extend our reach beyond the metropolis, we are bringing our vehicles a lot closer to Filipinos living in areas outside Metro Manila through our annual Suzuki AutoFest.”
