Brazil December 2014: VW Gol back to #1… too late

The Renault Sandero hits its highest ever monthly volume in Brazil in December.

* See the Top 15 best-selling brands and Top 150 models by clicking on the title *

For the first time since last February, new car sales in Brazil are encouragingly gaining ground year-on-year: up 5% to 353,558 registrations, however 2014 ends on a negative note at -7% to 3,328,716 units. Fiat dominates the brands ranking once again with 19% share, Volkswagen is back up to #2 at 17.3% above Chevrolet at 16.5% while Ford is up a robust 14% to cross the symbolic 10% milestone at 10.2% thanks to 35,993 deliveries. Below, Renault (+16%), Hyundai (+15%), Toyota (+26%), Honda (+17%) and Nissan (+31%) all frankly outperform the market, and premium German manufacturers all lodge spectacular gains: Audi is at +124%, Mercedes at +34% and BMW at +26%. Chinese carmaker Lifan confirms it is now a Top 20 brand in Brazil at #18 with a record 911 sales, placing the X60 SUV at a best-ever #72, the 530 at #137 and the Foison pickup at #146.

Too little too late: the VW Gol is #1 in December but not in 2014.

After a never-seen before 6 consecutive months of Fiat Palio reign, the VW Gol reclaim its rank as Brazil’s best-seller in December thanks to sales down use 3% to 24,150. However this is not enough to prevent the Fiat Palio from delivering a career-first #1 finish in 2014 (more detail in the Full Year update) as it hits 22,958 sales, its highest monthly volume since October 1997 – that’s over 17 years! Its all-time best remains 28,965 units reached in April 1997. The Chevrolet Onix astoundingly smashes the all-time volume record it established last month, lifting it by 24% to 17,951 and confirming it is a strong pretender to the overall #1 title in 2015.

The Chevrolet Onix smashes its volume record to just under 18,000 sales this month.

3 additional nameplates break their monthly sales record: the Hyundai HB20 is up 14% year-on-year to 12,921 units in 5th place, followed by the Renault Sandero up 22% to 12,911 sales at a best-ever #6 (also reached last May) and the Ford Ka is up 5-fold on its December 2013 score to 12,726 deliveries in 7th place. Notice also the VW Saveiro up 48% to #11, the Honda Fit up 90% to a record 7,703 sales and 13th place, the Toyota Corolla up 30% to #14, the Renault Logan doubling its sales year-on-year to #20 and the Ford Ka Sedan breaking into the Top 30 for the first time at #29. Further down, the Mercedes GLA250 is up to #81, the brand’s 2nd best-seller below the C180 sedan (#77) and the BMW X4 lodges its first Top 150 ranking in Brazil at #133.

Previous month: Brazil November 2014: Fiat Palio achieves the impossible

One year ago: Brazil December 2013: Ford Fiesta at highest ever #2, Fiat Siena hits record volume

Full December 2014 Top 15 brands and Top 150 models Ranking Tables below.