Argentina January 2018: Renault & Chevy Onix topple perennial leaders VW & Gol in all-time record market

February 9, 2018
Matt Gasnier

First monthly win for the Chevrolet Onix in Argentina.

* See the Top 45 All-brands and Top 225 All-models by clicking on the title *

The Argentinean new car market starts 2018 with a bang: up a whopping 27.9% year-on-year, January sales shoot up to 118.924 units, the highest monthly volume in Argentinean history, eclipsing the previous record of 112.607 established back in January 2012. In the brands ranking, Renault (+58%) outsells 14-year leader Volkswagen (+20%) for the second time in the past 7 months after last July, with Chevrolet (+47%), Ford (+21%) and Toyota (+23%) also above the symbolic 10% market share mark. Jeep (+172%), Suzuki (+152%), Agrale (+91%), Nissan (+74%), Mitsubishi (+49%) and Audi (+39%) all post spectacular gains but the most impressive improvement comes from Chinese brands: up 164% year-on-year as a whole to 1.3% share, all Chinese carmakers score extravagant growth this month: Chery is up 72%, Lifan up 208%, Geely up 4633% (!), JMC up 47% and Dongfeng up 400% while BAIC makes its very first appearance in the Argentinean sales charts at #30 and newcomer Foton is up to #33 vs. #37 over the FY2017.

The locally-produced Fiat Cronos is a sedan version of the Argo.

Over in the models charts, after ranking on the podium for 7 of the last 8 months of 2017, the Chevrolet Onix – the overall best-seller in Brazil for the past three years – scores its very first monthly win in Argentina thanks to deliveries soaring 84% year-on-year. The Toyota Hilux (+13%) trails the market in 2nd place, distancing the Toyota Etios (+45%), Ford Ka (+95%) and 2017’s leader the VW Gol (+32%). In the Top 50, notice also the Jeep Renegade (+152%), VW Polo (+146%), Renault Captur (+125%), VW Up (+102%), Fiat Mobi (+93%), Renault Duster Oroch (+81%), Chevrolet Tracker (+80%) and Renault Kangoo (+80%) all in extremely good shape. The Chery Tiggo at #47 (+73%) is the best-selling Chinese nameplate above the Chery QQ at #64 (+79%), the Lifan Foison at #75 (+169%) and Lifan Myway at #91. The Renault Kwid tops all recent launches (<12 months) at #20, ahead of the Fiat Argo (#29), Nissan Kicks (#51) and Peugeot 301 (#52). New arrivals for January include the Fiat Tipo (#119), Cronos (#123), BAIC X35 (#134), Fiat 500X (#142) and BAIC X55 (#159).

BAIC makes its entrance on the Argentinean market just as Chinese carmakers gain 164%.