Thailand August 2015: Toyota Fortuner on podium, Ford Everest in Top 20

The Toyota Fortuner is the third best-selling nameplate in Thailand this month.

* See the Top 37 All-brands and Top 50 models by clicking on the title *

Even though it is still frankly in negative, the Thai new car market may be in the process of finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel: at 61.991 registrations, August marks a 4th consecutive month-on-month gain, and at -10% this is the lowest year-on-year decline so far this year, after falls of 27% in April, 19% in May, 13% in June and 12.5% in July. Despite sales dropping faster than the market (-14%), Toyota lodges a higher market share than its 2015 level so far at 34.8% vs. 33.9%. Isuzu (-11%) and Honda (-8%) follow, while Mitsubishi holds onto the #4 spot above Nissan. Ford (+7%), Mazda (+16%) and Suzuki (+25%) buck the overall negative trend whereas Chinese carmaker MG celebrates one year in Thailand by ranking at #13 above Hyundai like last month.

The Ciaz is already Suzuki’s best-seller in Thailand.

Model-wise, the Toyota Hilux remains sovereign at 15.5% share, now 100% composed of the new gen Revo model, however its advantage over the Isuzu D-Max (14.8%) is just 428 units this month. The big event is the thunderous arrival of the Toyota Fortuner on the Thai podium with 3.359 sales and 5.4% share vs. #13 and 2.1% year-to-date: 89% of this figure (2.974) coming from the new generation that would rank #3 overall on its own already. The Toyota Yaris is bumped down one spot to #4 ahead of the Toyota Vios (+1), Honda City (-2) and HR-V (-2). Below the Ford Ranger strong at 3.3%, the Mazda2 breaks its volume (1.963) and share (3.2%) records this month but remains in 10th place.

Ford Everest

Two newcomers make themselves noticed just outside the Top 10: firstly the Suzuki Ciaz leaps 12 spots on its starting month to an excellent 14th place with 1.063 sales and 1.7%, instantly becoming the brand’s best-seller in the country above the Swift at #21. Secondly but perhaps the model with the most potential, the Ford Ranger-derived Everest SUV directly lands inside the Thai Top 20 for its first full month in market with 672 units sold for a 1.1% market share. A Top 10 ranking could be in the cards in the coming months…

Previous month: Thailand July 2015: New Toyota Fortuner and Ford Ranger land

One year ago: Thailand August 2014: New gen Nissan Navara starts to climb

Full August 2015 Top 37 All-brands and Top 50 models below.