Argentina July 2018: Fiat Argo repeats at #1, market down 14.4%

The Fiat Argo repeats at #1 in Argentina.

* See the Top 47 All-brands and Top 230 All-models by clicking on the title *

The Argentinean new car market has definitely hit the wall: down for the second consecutive month in July after 12 straight months of gains at -14.4% to 66.746 registrations. The year-to-date tally still shows a frankly positive result at +8.2% to 562.365 units but no one in the local industry is tabling on a record year anymore, even though it was still the case only two months ago. What happened? The country’s precarious economic situation, rising inflation and the 55% devaluation of the local currency, the peso, have finally caught up with the market. The Top 8 best-selling carmakers are all in negative, with Volkswagen (-11%), Renault (-22%) and Chevrolet (-10%) replicating the YTD podium ahead of Ford (-17%), Fiat (-12%) and Toyota (-9%), the only brand posting a single-digit drop atop the ranking. Below Peugeot (-27%) and Citroen (-15%), Nissan (+68%) and Jeep (+103%) post spectacular gains, even more impressive in the suddenly depressed context.

Further down, Dongfeng (+431%), Agrale (+177%), Suzuki (+135%), Chery (+15%), Geely (+10%), and Hyundai (+7%) are the only other manufacturers in positive, with Chinese BAIC up four spots to a record #23. Model-wise, the Fiat Argo manages a second consecutive month as the best-selling nameplate in the country with 4.6% share vs. 2.8% YTD where it now ranks 6th. The Ford Ka (+23%) and Chevrolet Prisma (+26%) defy the market conditions to post significant gains and fund up the podium ahead of the Toyota Hilux (-12%), Etios (-2%) and Chevrolet Onix (-10%), all down but less than the market. The VW Polo is boosted 658% by the new generation to #7, while the Renault Kwid returns inside the Top 10 at #9. Among other recent launches, the Fiat Cronos is up 4 spots on last month to #14 and the VW Virtus is up 1 to #30.

Previous month: Argentina June 2018: Fiat Argo posts first pole position, market hits brakes

One year ago: Argentina July 2017: Renault leads, Oroch above Duster YTD

Full July 2018 Top 47 All-brands and Top 235 All-models below.