Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

Hyundai HB20

* See the Top 150 best-selling models and Top 20 brands by clicking on the title! *

* See the Full Year 2012 post here *

New car sales in Brazil are up 4% year-on-year in December to 343,770 registrations, bringing the Full Year 2012 total to a record 3,634,421 units, up 6% on 2011. The VW Gol is now way above the competition at 28,033 sales and 8.2%, while the Fiat Palio confirms its return to #2 (seen at mid-month) for the first time since April 2010 at 18,430 units and 5.4%, just above the Uno at 18,260 and 5.3%. The Hyundai HB20 gains one spot vs. mid-month and 2 vs. November to land at #7 with 10,665 sales and 3.1%, up 32% on November and to my knowledge the very first time a Hyundai model manages to sell more than 10,000 units in a single month in Brazil, and the highest ever monthly ranking for a Hyundai in the country…

Chevrolet Onix

Up to #6 at mid-month, the Chevrolet Onix retracts somewhat to finish December at #8, still up 3 ranks and 42% on last month with 10,500 sales and 3.1%. Other great performers this month include the Ford Ecosport up 10 to #14, the Renault Duster up 3 to #15, Chevrolet Spin at #27, Ford Focus up 11 to #31, VW Amarok up to #33 vs. #42 in FY and the Ford Ranger up to #35 vs. #55 in FY.

Full Year post: Brazil Full Year 2012: VW Gol celebrates 25 years at #1, Fiat Palio up to #3

Previous post: Brazil mid-December 2012: Fiat Palio #2, Chevrolet Onix #6!

Previous month: Brazil November 2012: Hyundai HB20 #9, Chevrolet Onix #11

One year ago: Brazil December 2011: Fiat Uno edges out VW Gol for the 2nd time!

Full December 2012 Top 150 models and Top 20 brands Ranking Tables below.

Read more…

Chevrolet Onix

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 150 best-selling models! Click on title to see *

New car sales in Brazil are up a very healthy 15% year-on-year over the first half of December to 181,623 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 3,472,285 units, up 7% on 2011. Traditionally extremely stable, the Brazilian models ranking is getting shaken over the period: the VW Gol holds onto its pole position with 15,170 sales and 8.4% but for the first time since the launch of the new gen Fiat Uno, it’s the Fiat Palio that ranks #2 at 9,944 units and 5.5% vs. 9.712 and 5.3% for the Uno.

Hyundai HB20

More spectacularly, the Chevrolet Onix breaks into the Brazilian Top 10, up from #11 in November to #6 over the period thanks to 6,031 sales and 3.3%, while the Hyundai HB20 gains one further spot to land at a record (for the Korean brand) #8 with 5,660 sales and 3.1%. The Ford Ecosport is up 10 ranks to #14 and the Chevrolet Spin is up one to #25.

Further down, notice the Ford Focus up 12 to #30, the VW Amarok up a further 3 to #33 vs. #42 year-to-date, the Toyota Etios Hatch (+1 to #48) and Sedan (-1 to #69) seemingly finding their cruising rhythm already albeit at very low levels, the VW Fucsa (aka new Beetle) up 9 to #81 and the Chevrolet Trailblazer up 15 to #126. Also, for the first time since the introduction of the brand JAC in the country, by the end of the month there could be no Chinese model in the Brazilian Top 100, with the JAC J3 leading the way at #100 over the period (-6), followed by the JAC J3 Turin at #114 (-5) and the JAC J6 at #115 (-1).

Previous month: Brazil November 2012: Hyundai HB20 #9, Chevrolet Onix #11

One year ago: Brazil mid-December 2011: New Fiat Palio gears up

Full November 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Hyundai HB20

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 150 best-selling models! Click on title to see *

The Brazilian new car market is taking a breather in November, down 3% year-on-year to 297,031 registrations, however the year-to-date total is still frankly in positive territory at 3,290,698 units, up 6% on 2011. Thanks to the facelifted model, the VW Gol improves to 8.6% share this month at 25,591 sales, adding up to 265,262 units and 8.1% year-to-date. The Fiat Uno continues to slide down to 6.3% share, now only 0.5% above the Fiat Palio stable at 5.8%. The Fiat Siena is up to 3.9% and misses the 4th spot for just 70 sales…

Chevrolet Onix

Now that we’ve cleared the very top of the ranking, to the biggest event of the month in Brazil and potentially the world: improving on its #10 spot at mid-month, the locally produced Hyundai HB20 is up a brilliant 19 ranks on October to break into the monthly Top 10 for the first time for a Hyundai in Brazil at #9 with 8,077 sales and 2.7%. The HB20 single-handedly pushes Hyundai up to #6 carmaker in the country at 14,111 units and 4.7% vs. #9 and 2.8% year-to-date…

JAC J2

The other big Brazilian event in November is the Chevrolet Onix already knocking at the Top 10′s door, up a huge 101 spots on October to land at #11 with 7,409 sales and 2.5% for its first full month in market. Expect the Onix to break into the Brazilian monthly Top 10 as early as next month. Further down the ranking, notice the Chevrolet Cruze HB up 7 spots to #40, the Toyota Etios HB also up 7 to #49, the Etios Sedan up 9 to #68, the new gen VW Fusca (aka Beetle) up 36 to #90, the Chevrolet Trailblazer landing at #146 and the JAC J2 selling its first 20 units.

Previous post: Brazil mid-November 2012: Hyundai HB20 in Top 10 already!

Previous month: Brazil October 2012: Ford Ecosport up, Hyundai HB20 lands

One year ago: Brazil November 2011: VW Gol close to 17th consecutive #1 year

Full November 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Hyundai HB20

* See the Top 150 best-selling models and Top 20 brands (new!) by clicking on the title! *

New car sales in Brazil disappoint half-way through November, down 7% year-on-year to 148,655 registrations. The year-to-date total now stands at 3,142,332 units, still up a healthy 6% over 2011. Helped by the facelifted model, the VW Gol stays very solid over the period at 8.5% share thanks to 12,698 sales, higher than its 2012 year-to-date level at 8% and 252,383 units. The Fiat Uno continues to lose ground, now at 6.1% vs. 5.6% for the Fiat Palio at #3. This is the smallest gap between the two models since April 2010 before the current generation Uno launched. Similarly the Fiat Siena stays robust at #5.

Hyundai HB20

The big event this month is the arrival of the Hyundai HB20 in the Brazilian Top 10 as early as for its third fortnight of sales in the country! It sells 3,902 units, grabs 2.6% of the market for a brilliant 10th position. Thanks to this fantastic score, Hyundai passes Nissan, Honda and Toyota to rank #6 brand in the country with 4.9% share vs. #9 and 2.7% year-to-date… Comparing the HB20′s results to the Toyota Etios (Hatch: #48, Sedan: #69) show that Hyundai’s decision to invest heavily into a new plant and an all-new model dedicated solely to the Brazilian market has already started to pay off.

This is the first model Hyundai has ever placed within the Brazilian Top 10. The appearance of a new nameplate in the Top 10 is a relatively rare occurrence in Brazil, reputed for extremely stable model rankings. The last time this happened was last January when the Chevrolet Cobalt ranked #10, and before that in April 2011 with the Renault Sandero at #10.

Chevrolet Onix

Another model we will be following closely over the next couple of months is the Chevrolet Onix: now available in GM dealerships across the country, it is up a huge 98 spots on October to land at #14 with 2,853 sales and 1.9% share. Similarly to the HB20, the Onix should break into the Brazilian Top 10 shortly (as early as by end November?) and could climb much further up, as General Motors is fairly and squarely aiming at the Gol with the Onix… Fascinating times ahead for the Brazilian car market indeed!

Previous month: Brazil October 2012: Ford Ecosport up, Hyundai HB20 lands

One year ago: Brazil mid-November 2011: Renault Duster knocks at Top 20′s door

Full mid-November 2012 Top 150 models and Top 20 brands Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Hyundai HB20

* See the Top 150 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

The Brazilian new car market is up a massive 24% year-on-year in October to 326,917 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 2,993,696 units, up 7% on 2011. This month the VW Gol takes a clear advantage over the Fiat Uno at 8.5% share vs. 6.5%, while the Fiat Palio is up to 18,824 sales and 5.8% share, its highest share since the 6.1% it hit in December 2009. The Fiat Siena is also in great shape: up to #5 at 12,512 units and 3.8%, its highest ranking and share since February 2011.

Ford Ecosport

The Ford Ecosport is getting a welcome boost thanks to the new generation of the model now on sale, up 15 spots on September to #12 with 6,525 sales and 2% vs. 4,871 and 1.5% for its archenemy the Renault Duster at #19. The Chevrolet Spin seems to already have found its cruising rhythm: it is down 7 ranks on last month to #27 at 3,440 units and 1.1%. But the big event this month is the arrival in the ranking of the Hyundai HB20, ‘built in Brazil for Brazilians’, directly at #28 with 3,312 sales and 1% share for its very first month and already the brand’s best-seller in the country ahead of the Tucson at #32.

Hyundai HB20X at the Sao Paulo Motor Show 

Hyundai has big plans for Brazil with its HB (for Hyundai Brazil) range. The HB20 is the first of a series of models to hit the market over the next 6 months, with the HB20X crossover just unveiled at the Sao Paolo Motor Show and a HB20 sedan due to launch in Q1 2013. All HB models will be produced at Hyundai’s new plant in Piracicaba in the Sao Paulo state and sold through a dedicated Hyundai dealer network. With its new plant, Hyundai aims at going from #9 with 2.6% share in 2012 year-to-date to #4 with 10% of the Brazilian market as early as by the end of next year, passing Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Renault and Ford in the process!

Chevrolet Onix

Further down, notice the Ford Ranger up 31 spots to #37 thanks to the new generation, the Peugeot 308 is up 6 to #45, the Chevrolet Cruze hatch up 7 to #47, the Toyota Etios hatch up 48 ranks to #56 with 1,112 sales, the Etios sedan up 43 to #77 at 611 units and the all-new Chevrolet Onix lands at #112 with 242 pre-sales. The Onix, along with the Hyundai HB20, should soon feature in the Brazilian Top 20, and potentially Top 10…

Previous post: Brazil mid-October 2012: Fiat Palio and Ford Ecosport take off

Previous month: Brazil September 2012: Toyota Etios lands

One year ago: Brazil October 2011: Chevrolet Agile at its strongest

Full October 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Ford Ecosport

* See the Top 150 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

New car sales in Brazil are up 5% year-on-year at mid-October with 149,377 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 2,816,163 units, also up 5% on 2011. Almost one year after its launch, the new generation Fiat Palio finally seems to get the kick everyone was expecting much earlier. Below the VW Gol at 8.3% and the Fiat Uno at 7.1%, the Palio is up to 8,633 sales and 5.8% share over the period, its highest share since the 6.1% it hit in December 2009. The Fiat Siena is also getting a boost, up one spot on last month to #5 at 5,744 units and 3.8%, its highest ranking and share since February 2011.

Hyundai HB20

Now that the new generation is available in dealerships across the country, the Ford Ecosport is up a spectacular 16 ranks on September to land just 242 sales short of the Top 10 at #11 with 3,367 units and 2.3%, now well above its direct competitor the Renault Duster at #23. The Toyota Hilux is up a further 3 spots to #18, the Chevrolet Spin is already down 5 to #25, the Hyundai Tucson is up 5 to #31 vs. #41 year-to-date, the Ford Ranger is up 29 to #39 thanks to the new generation and the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback is up 9 to a record #45.

Chevrolet Onix

Outside the Top 50, there is a lot of newcomer activity in Brazil this month. The Toyota Etios sedan is up 34 ranks on September to #70 with 355 sales while the hatchback version is up 31 to #89 at 209 units. Two very important models with huge sales potential make their very first appearance in the Brazilian ranking over the period: the Hyundai HB20 sells 232 units at #84 while the Chevrolet Onix ranks #150 with 39 sales in anticipation of its presentation at the Sao Paulo Motor Show. Chevrolet is aiming at the Gol with the Onix, so a few fascinating months ahead…

Previous month: Brazil September 2012: Toyota Etios lands

One year ago: Brazil mid-October 2011: Fiat Uno leader of eventful ranking

Full mid-October 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Toyota Etios

* See the Top 150 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

After a record month of August (over 400,000 monthly registrations for the first time), September Brazilian new car sales are back down to more reasonable levels at 277,614 units, down 5% year-on-year and bringing the year-to-date total to 2,666,827, up 6% on 2011. Below the VW Gol and Fiat Uno, both solid at 8.4% and 7.3% respectively, the Fiat Palio is up one spot on last month back to #3 with 14,766 sales and 5.3% share, its highest in the country since March 2010. The Fiat Siena for its part is up 2 ranks to #6 at 9,750 units and 3.5%, its highest monthly ranking since June 2011 and its highest share since February 2011.

Fiat Siena

The Chevrolet Spin confirms the Top 20 spot it held at mid-month by ranking #20 in September, up 6 spots on August with 3,644 sales and 1.3%. The Ford Ecosport is up a spectacular 27 ranks to #27 at 3,036 units and 1.1% while the VW Amarok is up 7 to #35 with 1,983 sales and 0.7%. It is now #47 year-to-date vs. #68 in 2011.

Chevrolet Spin

September 2012 is also the month Toyota launched the Etios in Brazil, now the model’s third production centre in the world with India where it debuted in December 2010 and South Africa where it started in May 2012. The Etios hatchback lands at #104 with 293 sales while the sedan ranks #120 at 192 units. It will be fascinating to follow the progression of the two models, especially when full frontal competitor Hyundai HB20 gets its sales kick started in the next couple of months…

Previous post: Brazil mid-September 2012: Chevrolet Spin in Top 20

Previous month: Brazil August 2012: Strongest month ever at 405,511 registrations

One year ago: Brazil September 2011: Renault Sandero confirms best-ever 7th spot

Full September 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Chevrolet Spin

* See the Top 150 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

After a record month of August, Brazilian new car sales continue to impress, up 17% year-on-year over the first half of September at 166,139 registrations, bringing the 2012 year-to-date total to 2,555,368 units, up 8% on 2011. Helped by the arrival of the new generation, the VW Gol improves to 8.8% share thanks to 14,548 sales, its highest share in Brazil since August 2011. The Gol also manages to increase its market share gap with the Fiat Uno to 1.9 percentage point, the highest between the two models since January 2011… The VW Fox/CrossFox, Fiat Palio and Chevrolet Celta maintain themselves at high levels with 5.4%, 5.1% and 4.5% respectively.

VW Gol

The Fiat Siena is up 2 spots on August to #6 with 5,545 sales and 3.3%, its highest ranking since June 2011, the VW Saveiro is up one to #11, its highest ranking so far in 2012, the Fiat Punto is down 3 to #19 but stays robust at 1.4%. For only its second appearance in the Brazilian models ranking, the Chevrolet Spin already breaks into the Top 20 at #20 with 2,206 units and 1.3%. It is now #69 year-to-date. Notice also the Citroen C3 up 9 ranks to #21, the Toyota Hilux up 5 to #22 and the VW Amarok up 8 to #34. The Toyota Etios Hatch and Sedan lodge their first Brazilian sales over the period at 12 and 9 respectively.

Previous month: Brazil August 2012: Strongest month ever at 405,511 registrations

One year ago: Brazil mid-September 2011: Renault Sandero up to best-ever #7

Full mid-September 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

The Fiat Uno sells over 30,000 monthly units in Brazil for the first time ever.

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 150 best-selling models!  Click on title to see *

The Brazilian new car market is now in unchartered territory, passing 400,000 monthly sales for the first time ever at 405,511 units, up a huge 32% year-on-year and bringing the year-to-date total to 2,389,245 registrations, up 7% on 2011. Such massive volumes mean that a few major manufacturers lodge their strongest sales in the world here like Renault with Brazilian sales surpassing French ones for the first time in the 113 year-history of the brand, mainly thanks to Dacia models sold as Renault: the Sandero is #9, the Duster #20 and the Logan #31.

For the first time ever, Renault sells more cars in Brazil than in France.

A lot of models hit their highest monthly volume, either ever, or in a while: the VW Gol is at a 12-year high with 32,632 sales, its record being 34,964 in August 1997. The Fiat Uno breaks the 30,000 monthly unit barrier for the first time in the nameplate’s 28 year-career at 30,373 units, beating its previous record of 28,828 in November 1995. The VW Fox/CrossFox beats its volume record for the third consecutive month at 23,318 sales, its first time above 20,000, and also its market share record at 5.8%.

VW Fox

And the list continues, with the Fiat Palio at its highest since July 2008 with 21,572 units, the Chevrolet Celta at its highest since March 2010 and 2nd highest ever at 19,145, the Fiat Strada at a record 12,981 sales, the Renault Sandero at a record 11,743 and the VW Voyage at a record 9,699. And that’s just for the Top 10…

Chevrolet Spin

High Chevrolet Zafira scores in the first half of August turned out to be a reporting mistake by Fenavabre and included sales of the all-new Chevrolet Spin. Now corrected, the Spin lands directly at #26 with 4,503 units sold for an excellent 1.1% market share. Other great performers this month include the Fiat Punto up to #16 vs. #25 year-to-date and the Peugeot 308 up to #53.

Previous post: Brazil mid-August 2012: 11 year-old Chevrolet Zafira up to #20

Previous month: Brazil July 2012: VW Fox hits highest monthly volume ever

One year ago: Brazil August 2011: VW Voyage at highest in 20 years

Full August 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…

Chevrolet Zafira

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 150 best-selling models! Click on title to see *

* Note later reports by Fenavabre showed the Zafira unusually high scores over the period were due to the inclusion of all-new Chevrolet Spin sales within its total *

Brazilian new car sales are up a massive 21% year-on-year over the first half of August to 169,859 registrations, and August is looking like another record month for the industry. The Top 5 best-sellers are unchanged vs. July, with the VW Gol taking the lead with 13,323 sales and 7.8% followed by the Fiat Uno at 12,414 units and 7.3%. The VW Fox/CrossFox reaches a record 5.8% market share thanks to 9,799 sales and could pass the 20,000 monthly unit benchmark for the very first time in the Fox nameplate history in Brazil.

Fiat Siena

The Fiat Palio ranks #4 with a strong 5.2% share, ahead of the Chevrolet Celta up to 4.9%, one full percentage point ahead of its 2012 year-to0-date market share, while the Fiat Siena is up one spot on July to reach the 6th position, its highest ranking in Brazil since June 2011. Further down, notice the Chevrolet Prisma up 8 ranks on July to #14 and the Fiat Punto up 12 to #17. The following information is no longer valid as sales of the Zafira also included all-new Chevrolet Spin over the period. But the best performer in the Top 20 is by far the 2001 first generation Chevrolet Zafira, in total runout mode and up from #76 in July to #20 over the period with 2,175 sales and 1.3% share.

Notice also the VW Amarok up 7 spots to #40, the Chevrolet Sonic up to #43, the Chevrolet Sonic Hatch up 9 to #82, the JAC J5 up 27 to #99 and now ahead of the JAC J3 Turin, the BMW 320 landing directly at #123 and the Audi Q3 up 12 to a best-ever #142.

Previous post: Brazil July 2012: VW Fox hits highest monthly volume ever

One year ago: Brazil mid-August 2011: VW Fox back up to #4

Full mid-August 2012 Top 150 Ranking Table below.

Read more…