My rental Peugeot Pars near Mount Damavand, Tehran Province. Iran regularly makes headlines for all the wrong reasons - religious extremism, nuclear threats and thunderous ayatollahs - yet almost every visitor returns enchanted. The contrast is such that I felt I had to see it for myself to make up…
The lift of the ban on driver's licences for Saudi women has boosted new car sales spectacularly this year. Picture Saudi Information Ministry via AP. The time has finally come! After imploding 53.2% between 2015 and 2018, including a painful 23.4% last year, new light vehicle sales in Saudi Arabia have bottomed…
The Toyota Land Cruiser is the best-seller in an astounding 6 Middle Eastern markets so far in 2019. After crumbling down -21.7% over the Full Year 2018, the Lebanese new car market drops a worrying -11.7% year-on-year over the first 5 months of 2019 to 14.848 registrations. Toyota (+6.7%) swims…
The Toyota Land Cruiser cements its domination of the Qatari market. After three consecutive years of double-digit losses, new car sales in Qatar continue to slow down their fall but remain in negative territory so far this year at -2.7% to 19.675 units over the first 5 months of the…
The Toyota Land Cruiser is back to pole position in Oman. Unlike other markets in the region, Omani new light vehicle sales had not slowed down their fall in 2018 at -14.9%. The freefall continues in 2019 at -15.9% to 43.051 sales over the first 5 months of the year. One…
The Toyota Land Cruiser holds 12% of the Bahraini market in 2019, more than any brand bar Toyota. After imploding down 19% in 2016 and 25.6% in 2017, new light vehicle sales in Bahrain seemed to be on the mend in 2018 with a much slimmer -4.8% drop, but they…
The Hyundai Tucson is the most popular vehicle in Syria so far this year. Whereas most markets in the region are now on the mend, new car sales in Syria plunge -37.1% year-on-year over the first 5 months of 2019 to just 2.989 units. Hyundai (-16.7%) consolidates the #1 brands…
1 in every 2nd new light vehicle registered in Yemen in 2019 is a Land Cruiser. The Yemeni new car market continues to recover albeit staying at very low levels at 3.541 sales over the first 5 months of 2019, up 70.7% year-on-year. Toyota (+67.1%) remains the only manufacturer to…
The landing of the Renault Clio 5 means the Clio 4 is now fading away and the Peugeot 208 snaps the #1 spot for the first time in almost 3 years. This article has been updated with the Top 40 brands, Top 270 models and Top 10 private models. The…
BMW sales surge 15.1% year-on-year in Europe in May. Preliminary figures from ACEA covering the European Union and EFTA - 30 markets show a first uptick in 9 months at a tiny +0.04% to 1.443.708 units vs. 1.443.127 in May 2018. This is the highest result for the month in 12…
The Mitsubishi Pajero is the best-selling vehicle in the UAE so far in 2019. After three nightmarish consecutive years of double-digit declines (-23% in 2016, -15% in 2017 and -19% in 2018), new car sales in the United Arab Emirates have finally cut short the haemorrhage. Over the first 5…
The Mitsubishi L200 is up to #2 in Iraq so far in 2019. The Iraqi new car market is resolutely on the mend with 5 months 2019 data showing a stunning 63.9% year-on-year uptick to 30.257 units, easily headed towards a third consecutive year on gains and the largest annual…
The Nissan Sunny lurks in 2nd place only 105 sales below the Toyota Prado. After losing ground for 3 consecutive years from 2016 to 2018, new car sales in Kuwait have bottomed up at +10% over the first 5 months of 2019 to 44.356 units. Brand leader Toyota (+13.4%) outpaces…
The Toyota Land Cruiser holds an imposing 15.9% share of the Jordanian market so far in 2019. The Jordanian new car market slows down its fall in this start of 2019 at -9% year-on-year to 12.556 sales. Toyota (+19.9%) and Hyundai (+17.6%) go well against the grain to cement their domination,…
The new Duster (+84.3%) helps Renault up 5.6% in May. New vehicle sales in South Africa skid -5.8% year-on-year in May to 40.506 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down -4.1% to 211.749. Toyota (-8.6%) easily remains the best-selling manufacturer in the country at 24.1% share despite falling faster than…