Brazil August 2016: Onix and HB20 sparkle, VW at lowest ever share

Slippery slope: VW could soon drop below 10% share in Brazil, a first since 1953. 

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

The Rio Olympic Games seem to have distracted the car market into a softer drop in August at -11% to 178.103 registrations, with the year-to-date total down a much sharper 23% to 1.303.987. Atop the Brazilian brands ranking, what was once an intense three-way fight for the pole position has now become a two-man contest: Chevrolet holds onto the #1 spot thanks to sales up an incredible (in the current context) 14% to 30.735 and 17.3% while Fiat is down 18% to 29.568 and 16.6%. Volkswagen no longer competes: the German brand sees its volume skid down 34% to 18.664 and 10.5% share. Based on BSCB calculations, this should be VW’s lowest ever market share in Brazil since it started manufacturing and selling the “Fusca” (Beetle) 62 years ago in 1954. It is to be compared with the 20.5% market share the brand commanded less than four years ago in January 2013.

The Chevrolet Onix signs a 13th consecutive month as the best-selling car in Brazil. 

VW now joins Ford (9.8%), Toyota (9.7%), Hyundai (9.5%) and Renault (7.9%) in the fight for the third step of the podium. At this little game, Toyota (+16%) and Hyundai (+2%) both post year-on-year gains in August while Renault (-8%) and Ford (-16%) decline. Further down, below Honda freefalling at -31%, Nissan (+23%) is in great shape thanks to the all-new Kicks small crossover, already the brand’s best-seller at #32 and accounting for 31% of Nissan’s August sales. BMW (+2%) and Volvo (#19) also shine, while Chinese Chery (-44%) and Lifan (-42%) are kept outside the Top 20 this month, with the Lifan X60 (-41%) and Chery Celer Sedan (+106%) the best-selling Chinese nameplates in Brazil.

The Hyundai HB20 is up 12% and the #2 best-selling model in Brazil. 

Both facelifted, the Chevrolet Onix (+13%) and Hyundai HB20 (+12%) continue to defy gravity atop the models ranking, joined on the podium by the Ford Ka (+2%). The Renault Sandero (#5), Toyota Corolla (+5%), Chevrolet Prisma (+22%), Toyota Etios Hatch (+29%), Etios Sedan (+41%) and Ford Ecosport (+4%) post solid scores inside the Top 20 whereas the VW Gol (-23%), Fiat Palio (-27%), Fiat Strada (-32%) and VW Fox (-45%) freefall – all relics of a long-gone epoch when obsolete technology was still good enough for Brazil. Fiat places both its Toro (4.291 sales) and Mobi (3.840) inside the Top 15.

Previous month: Brazil July 2016: Nissan Kicks lands for Olympics, market down 20%

One year ago: Brazil August 2015: Chevrolet Onix takes the lead for the first time

Full August 2016 Top 20 brands and Top 150 models below.