Uruguay Full Year 2015: Suzuki takes charge in market down 8%

The best-seller Alto pushes Suzuki to its first annual pole position in Uruguay.

* Now updated with the Top 12 best-selling models and Top 60 brands. Click on title to see *

Despite sales up 2% to the strongest month of the year in December (5.370), the Uruguayan new car market is down for the second straight year in 2015 at -8% to just 49.420 registrations, falling back below the 50.00 annual unit-mark for the first time since 2010. Yet 2015 is a historic year in Uruguay it marks the first-ever crowning of Suzuki in the brands ranking thanks to sales up a spectacular 40% to 6.928 units and 14% share vs. 9.2% a year ago. Let me also stress that Suzuki sold a lonely 22 units in Uruguay just 10 years ago in 2005… Models data will follow shortly but halfway through 2015 Suzuki placed the Celerio at #1 and Alto at #2 in the sales charts. Perennial market leader Chevrolet (-12%) falls not just to #2 but to #3, also overtaken by Volkswagen (+20%)… Renault (+4%) outpaces Nissan (-15%) while Kia is up a spectacular 8 spots to #9 thanks to volumes up 71%.

Lifan has already launched the X50 in Uruguay.

The Chinese, traditionally very strong in Uruguay, are hurt by leader Chery (-45%) not disclosing its sales for four of the last five months of the year and therefore falling behind BYD which stays #10 but drops 31%. Lifan on the other hand is up a flamboyant 41% to #14, knocking FAW (-31%) and Geely (-33%) over. Dongfeng (-11%) makes it six Chinese manufacturers in the Top 20, and overall they add up to 16.6% share vs. 21.8% in 2014.

The Fiat Uno lands at #2 in Uruguay in 2015.

Thanks to www.autodata.com.uy and www.autoanuario.com.uy, we can now share with you the 12 most popular nameplates in Uruguay for the Full Year 2015 as well as the Top 10 commercials for the same period, a first on BSCB. The Suzuki Celerio (2014 leader) is down to #3, giving way to its smaller counterpart the Suzuki Alto at 2.557 sales and 5.2% share, while the Fiat Uno lands directly in 2nd place with 1.935 deliveries. The Saveiro is Volkswagen’s best-seller in the country at #4 above the Gol (#5) and Up (#7) and there are no Chinese nameplates in the Top 10 this year with the Chery QQ falling 41% to #11.

Previous post: Uruguay November 2015: Fiat up 80% to 2nd place below Suzuki

Previous year: Uruguay Full Year 2014: Chevrolet #1, Suzuki Celerio best-seller

Two years ago (models): Uruguay Full Year 2013: Now with Top 10 best-selling models

Two years ago (brands): Uruguay (brands) Full Year 2013: One in 4 new cars is Chinese

Full Year 2015 Top 12 models and Top 60 brands vs. Full 2014 figures below.