Brazil First Half 2017: Sales rebound, Jeep Compass leads new SUV charge
The Jeep Compass lands directly at #12 in Brazil so far in 2017.
* See the Top 20 best-selling brands and Top 150 models by clicking on the title *
After dropping 7% over the First Half 2014 and freefalling 20% in 2015 and 25% in 2016, the Brazilian new car market finally bounces back in 2017 with a 4.2% gain halfway through the year to 991.475 registrations, solely due to explosive gains both in May (+17.3%) and June (+13.7%). Although the brands podium is unchanged, Chevrolet (+12%) is the only brand in positive, gaining over one percentage point of market share to 17.7%. Both Fiat (-6%) and Volkswagen (-1%) lose volume and share to 13.6% (-1.5pp) and 12.6% (-0.7pp) respectively. Helped by the success of the Ka, Ford soars 16% and overtakes both Hyundai (-3%) and Toyota (+3%) to land in 4th place. Jeep is the best performing manufacturer in the Top 20 by far with a 53% gain thanks to the new Compass, with Nissan close behind at +38% thanks to the Kicks.
The Hyundai Creta ranks 20th in Brazil over the period.
The Chevrolet Onix continues to defy gravity in the models ranking with a further 21% improvement leading to an imposing 8.4% market share. The Hyundai HB20 can’t follow that pace anymore, dropping 9% which results in a contracted 5.2% share. Below, the Ford Ka soars 29% but remains in third place, although it ranked #2 in May. The Renault Sandero stuns with a 47% gain lifting it from #11 a year ago directly to #4, by far the highest ranking it has ever held in Brazil. Once ultra-dominant of the Brazilian market, the VW Gol manages to regain share thanks to a 11% hike but drops one spot to #5, ahead of the Chevrolet Prisma and Toyota Corolla.
The Nissan Kicks is inside the Brazilian Top 30. Picture autocosmos.com
Slowly but surely, the Fiat Mobi is starting to make its mark on the Brazilian market. Thanks to record sales in June, it is now the brand’s best-seller and points its bonnet in 8th place halfway through the year. It is followed by the Fiat Toro which has become in little more than a year the most popular pickup truck in Brazil. It’s a market that has taken a little more time to succumb to the SUV craze than most others, but this year the five best-selling all-new nameplates are all SUVs. The Jeep Compass lands at an astonishing 12th place and dominated the segment for two months but ends the half-year mark in 2nd place, 1.200 units below the Honda HR-V. The Compass has cannibalised the Renegade down 31% and third best-selling SUV just above the Hyundai Creta, the 2nd most popular newcomer at #20 ahead of the Nissan Kicks at #29. Below are the Honda WR-V (#44) and the Renault Captur (#54).
Previous post: Brazil June 2017: Fiat Argo lands, double-digit gains for 2nd straight month
One year ago: Brazil First Half 2016: Fall accelerates to -25%, Chevrolet takes charge
Full H1 2017 Top 20 brands and Top 150 models vs. Full H1 2016 figures below.
