Auto sales are zooming, fueled by sedans or passenger cars as the driving force, according to the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors.
The passenger cars (PC) segment took a quantum leap of 260% in quarter-on-quarter sales with 5,622 units sold in Q3 vas against the 1,561 units sold in the second quarter, the group said.
Demand for sedans remain as consumers are looking for safe and affordable personal mobility, AVID data showed. Hyundai, the top contributor of passenger cars, chalked up a total of 6,244 units since the beginning of 2020 followed by Suzuki with 4,069 units and Ford with 825 units sold.
Rapid digital transformation, best value promotions, and stringent health and safety protocols in automotive facilities nationwide are major factors in the recovery of consumer confidence, according to AVID.
“We had to restore consumer confidence quickly and decisively so the auto industry could get back on track and bounce back strong. We aim to sustain this momentum till the last quarter of the year as we continue to reinvent ourselves, innovate, and capture our customer’s imagination. This will put us in a great position as we start afresh in 2021,” AVID President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said.
Overall sales showed a robust revival with a 212% increase in sales, from 4,955 units sold in the second quarter of the year to 15,471 units sold in in the third quarter.
In the Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) segment, AVID recorded a 192% growth in quarter-on-quarter sales with 9,763 units sold versus the 3,349 units the previous quarter. Ford led this segment with 8,539 units sold while Suzuki held second place with 6,422 units followed by Hyundai with 5,879 units sold since the start of the year.
In the Commercial Vehicles (CV) segment, AVID recorded 91% growth in the 3rd quarter with 86 units sold. The gradual reopening of the economy and resumption of key government projects was expected to spur more demand for commercial vehicles.
From January to September, however, sales fell by 45.6%, from 64,274 units in 2019 to 34,977 units in the same period this year.
“There will never be a return to business as usual,” Agudo said. “We are redefining the industry’s new normal–call it a better normal. Even if the customer journey has radically changed, one thing remains constant for us: the commitment to give our customers the premium value, care, and attention that they deserve, in and beyond pandemic times.”
