Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

Toyota Land Cruiser

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Ldman *

The Emirati new car market is in full swing in 2012: up 49% year-on-year in May to 27,283 registrations and up 50% year-to-date to 123,486 units. While in 2011 the Toyota Corolla snatched a last minute pole position from the Toyota Hilux, this year the fight is even more intense and involves 4 Toyotas. The Land Cruiser is the most popular model in the country in May with 1,665 sales and 6.1%, ahead of the Corolla at 1,535 and 5.6%, the Hilux at 1,505 and 5.5% and the Prado at 5.1%.

Toyota Prado

In April it was a completely different story: the Prado took the lead with a brilliant 6.7% markets share and was followed by the Hilux (5.6%) and Land Cruiser (5.3%). Year-to-date in 2012, we have yet another picture with the Hilux in command at 5.7% followed by the Land Cruiser at 5.1% and the Prado and Corolla both at 4.6%. Plus in May two additional Toyotas rank in the Top 6: the Camry at #5 with a strong 3.6% share and the Land Cruiser Pick-up having a huge month at 3.3% share vs. 1.9% year-to-date and 1.5% in 2011…

Hyundai Azera

Other great performers this month include the Mitsubishi Pajero up 13 spots on April to #10, the Nissan Sunny very solid at #12, the BMW X5 up 5 to #19, the Hyundai Santa Fe up 23 to #21, the Kia Rio up 7 to #33, the Hyundai Azera up to #39, the Nissan Micra up 69 ranks to #46, the BMW 6 Series up to #59 and the Renault Duster landing at #72.

Previous post: UAE March 2012: Toyota Hilux back in command

Previous year: UAE Full Year 2011: Toyota Corolla snatches last minute win

Full May 2012 Top 100 Ranking Table below.

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Toyota Hilux

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Ldman *

Emirati car sales are up 9% in March to 24,904 units, bringing the year-to-date total to 71,458 registrations, up 13% on 2011. After losing the best-seller title in extremis to the Corolla last year due to supply issues, the Toyota Hilux is now back in command, ranking #1 both in March with 1,940 sales and 7.8% share and year-to-date at 4,191 units and 5.9%. The Toyota Land Cruiser is up 3 spots on last month to land #2 with 1,648 sales and 6.6% and is now #3 year-to-date like in 2011.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Down one spot to #3 this month, the Toyota Corolla however is still #2 year-to-date at 3,419 units and 4.8%. Another very solid month for the Fuso Canter at #4, followed by the Toyota Camry, Yaris, Nissan Tiida and Patrol. Big moves are found further down the ranking with the Ford Focus up 22 spots to #27, the Hyundai Veracruz up 81 to #31 even though it is at the end of its life, the Ford Fiesta up a huge 155 ranks to #33, the Dodge Charger up 22 to #35 and the Infiniti FX up 86 to #36. Notice also the Range Rover Evoque up 12 spots to #87.

Previous month: UAE March 2012: Toyota Corolla and Hilux fight it out

Previous year: UAE Full Year 2011: Toyota Corolla snatches last minute win

Full March 2012 Top 100 Ranking Table below.

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Toyota Corolla

* See the Top 150 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Ldman *

The Emirati car market is up 16% year-on-year both in February at 23,914 registrations and year-to-date at 46,551. Best-seller in extremis last year, the Toyota Corolla is #1 again after 2 months in 2012 with 2,398 sales and 5.2% share. However the Toyota Hilux, weak in January at 2.8%, reclaims the top spot in February at 1,607 units and 6.7%. It is #2 year-to-date with 2,251 sales and 4.8%. The Fuso Canter rounds up the podium at 3.7%.

BMW X5. Picture by Fahad Al Nusf, all rights reserved.

Another 3 Toyotas follow in the February ranking: the Prado at 3.7%, Land Cruiser at 3.4% and Camry at 3.1%. Great performers this month include the BMW X5 at #18 with 326 sales and 1.4% vs.#32 in 2011, Hyundai Accent at #20 vs.#42, Hyundai Azera at #53 vs.#161 and Infiniti M at #69 vs.#167.

Ford Taurus

Ford has a great month with the Edge at #25 vs.#45 in 2011, Expedition at #30 vs.#85, Figo at #37 vs.#101, Taurus at #47 vs.#98 and Crown Victoria at #54 vs.#150. Notice also the Range Rover Sport at #39, BMW X6 at #42, Audi A8 at #92 and Cadillac SRX at #117.

Previous post: United Arab Emirates Full Year 2011: Corolla snatches last minute win

Full February Top 150 Ranking Table below.

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Toyota Corolla

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Ldman *

Emirati consumers purchased 21,197 new vehicles in December for a 2011 final total of 243,582 units. After Oman, the United Arab Emirates is the second country in the region where the Toyota Hilux saw its leadership slip between its wheels in the last month of the year: #1 YTD at end Nov and ranking first 6 times this year, December sales disrupted by the Thai floods kicked the Hilux down 2nd place in the Full Year with 11,416 sales and 4.7%. The Toyota Corolla, #1 four times this year, is the best-selling model in the UAE with 12,288 units and 5% share.

Mitsubishi Pajero

The iconic Land Cruiser takes the third spot with 11,011 sales and 4.5%, ahead of the Toyota Camry at 3.8% and Toyota Prado at 3.7%. The Nissan Tiida is the best-selling non-Toyota model in the UAE at #6 with 7,380 sales and 3%, only 20 units above the Mitsubishi Pajero reaching in the UAE its best ranking in the region. Mitsubishi is fairly strong in the Emirates, placing the L200 Pick-up at #10, the Lancer at #11 and being the only brand to manage to place a model at #2 in the monthly rankings: the Pajero in May and June and the L200 in July.

Mercedes S Class

The best-selling non-Japanese model in the Kia Sportage at #19 and the best-selling non-Asian model is the BMW 5 Series at #25. Notice also the Toyota FJ Cruiser at #22 with 2,308 sales, the Mercedes E-Class at #26, BMW X6 at #30, Porsche Cayenne at #31, BMW X5 at #32, BMW 7 Series at #35, Range Rover Sport at #37 and Mercedes S-Class at #38.

Previous month: UAE November 2011: Hilux leads, 5 Toyotas in Top 5!

Full Year 2011, December and every Monthly Top 100 Ranking Tables below.

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Toyota Hilux

* See the Top 110 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Ldman *

After many attempts at guessing the list of best-selling cars in the UAE based on a couple of short trips there, I can finally share with you official sales figures thanks to data shared by Ldman! 21,248 vehicles were registered in the UAE last November and it is one of Toyota’s strongest countries in the world, with 5 models in the Top 5 and 7 in the Top 10 this month!

2012 Toyota Camry

Boosted by the new generation now in dealerships, the Toyota Hilux is in pole position with 1,216 sales and 5.7% share, ahead of the Toyota Camry, possibly also helped by the 2012 model, at 1,034 units and 4.9% just above the Toyota Prado with 1,029 sales and 4.8% share. The iconic Land Cruiser and Corolla follow at 4.5% and 4.2% respectively. A truck breaks the Toyota spell at #6: the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter (3.9%) but another Toyota is 7th: the Yaris hatchback (3.3%).

Nissan Patrol

The Land Cruiser’s only competitor, the Nissan Patrol, arrives in 8th position with 523 units and 2.5% while the Mitsubishi Pajero is very robust at #11. Notice also the Lexus LX at #21, the BMW 7 Series at #26, the Porsche Cayenne at #27, the Toyota FJ Cruiser at #28, the BMW X6 at #34 and the Audi A8 at #55.

Range Rover Evoque

Chevrolet Malibu

Further along the ranking, the new Renault Safrane is at #65, the Infiniti QX at #69, the Range Rover Evoque at #70 with 67 sales, the Chevrolet Malibu at #92, the Porsche Panamera at #102 and 45 units and the Ford Mustang at #107 with 41 sales.

Full November 2011 Top 110 Ranking Table below.

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GMC Sierra and Toyota Land Cruiser in Dubai, September 2011

* See the estimated Top 15 best-selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at end of post! *

I was lucky enough to stop over in Dubai over the weekend for the second time in 2 months, so I can now venture an estimated Top 15 based on my observations there. As expected, Toyota reigns with the Land Cruiser and Corolla on top and the Camry at #4. The Nissan Altima does very well and could even find its way onto the podium, with the Nissan Tiida perhaps in the Top 5.

Infiniti FX in Dubai, September 2011

Big 4WDs are oblivious in this estimated Top 15 featuring the Ford Edge (#6), Mitsubishi Pajero (#8), Toyota FJ Cruiser (#9), Nissan Patrol (#10), Chevrolet Silverado (#11), Nissan Armada (#12) and GMC Sierra (#14). I also saw 3 Infiniti FX in a very limited time which would seem to indicate it is on its way to become one of the country’s best-sellers…

See the previous United Arab Emirates 2011 post here.

More images and Full estimated 2011 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Toyota FJ Cruiser in Dubai, July 2011

I was lucky enough to stopover in Dubai over the weekend so I can update you on the Emirati car market. Toyota looks like it is still leading the way by a very large margin there, with the Toyota Corolla, Camry and Land Cruiser likely leaders, and the FJ Cruiser and Prado strong contenders…

Toyota Land Cruiser

Nissan Altima in Dubai, July 2011

I have also noticed a large amount of Nissan Altimas on the streets, with the Nissan Patrol and Armada strong sellers too. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pick-ups seem to do well, the Gulf region being GMC’s only overseas market.

GMC Sierra

More pictures: see ‘Read more’ below.

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The latest official data I could get my hands on dates back to 2003 and was limited to Abu Dhabi. The Toyota Land Cruiser was leading the way then ahead of the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sunny, Nissan Patrol and Mitsubishi Lancer. Observation in Abu Dhabi and Dubai during my last trip there in December 2008 confirmed that the situation has only changed a little since.

In spite of its high price, the Toyota Land Cruiser seems to still be the best selling vehicle in the UAE, and has actually reached quite an iconic status in the area, by far its most successful market in the world. The Toyota Corolla, Nissan Tiida and Honda Civic could be following, and the Toyota Yaris sedan and Land Cruiser Prado are also doing very well. More pics: click on ‘Read more’ below.

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