Argentina January 2019: Discounted VW Suran shoots up to #2 in imploding market (-49.7%)

The VW Suran is boosted up 38.4% by heavy discounts.

After skidding down 11% over the Full Year 2018, new vehicle sales in Argentina start 2019 with a daunting 49.7% year-on-year drop to 59.844 units, yet the comparison set was particularly intimidating as January 2018 marked the largest monthly volume in Argentinean history. On the brands podium, Toyota (-34.1%) and Volkswagen (-44.7%) resist better than the market whereas Renault (-55.6%) falls faster with Honda (+3.2%) the only growing brand in the Top 10. Nissan (-15.9%), Ford (-48.9%) and Citroen (-49.4%) also manage to beat the market but Chevrolet (-63.8%), Peugeot (-60.9%) and Fiat (-52%) underperform. Further down, notice Dongfeng (+226.7%), Subaru (+41.7%), BAIC (+17.9%) and Foton (+12%) posting smashing gains while Kia (-20.2%), DS (-25.7%), Jeep (27.5%) and Alfa Romeo (-28%) contain their losses. This month we welcome a new Chinese brand in Argentina: Domy, which graduated to full-blown brand here whereas it is a sub-brand of Zotye in China. It sells the Domy X5 and X7 locally (as well as in Ecuador).

Model-wise, the Toyota Hilux (-38.6%) comfortably remains on top, improving its share to 5% vs. 4.2% over the Full Year 2018, but the most spectacular evolution is generated by the discontinued VW Suran (+38.4%) rallying back up 26 spots on its FY2018 ranking to #2 overall in January thanks to very generous discounts aimed at clearing remaining stock. The Ford Ka (-50.9%) and Toyota Etios (-55.1%) follow while the Ford Ecosport (-39.4%) is up 8 ranks on FY2018 to a splendid 5th place, its highest ranking in Argentina since August 2015. The Fiat Cronos (#7), VW Amarok (#8), Ford Ranger (#10) and Renault Duster Oroch (#14) and Toyota Yaris (#16) also improve drastically on their FY2018 ranking while the VW Virtus (#42) tops all recent launches (<12 months) above the Honda WR-V (#50), Chevrolet Equinox (#62) and Chery Tiggo 3 (#66).

Previous post: Argentina Full Year 2018: With Hilux and Etios, Toyota scores first ever 1-2 in market down 11%

One year ago: Argentina January 2018: Renault and Chevrolet Onix topple perennial leaders VW & Gol in all-time record market

Full January 2019 Top 50 All-brands and Top 252 All-models below.