Brazil First Half 2019: Renault (+20.2%), Jeep (+23.1%), Chery (+275.9%) push market to highest in 4 years (+10.8%)

The Kwid (+36.5) slides into the Top 5 and helps Renault up 20.2%.

New car sales in Brazil leap up 10.8% year-on-year over the First Half of 2019 to 1.248.899, the largest volume at this stage of the year since 2015 (1.269.853). A clear concentration towards the most trusted brands is at play in Brazil with the Top 4 carmakers all easily outpacing the market growth and adding up to 55.5% vs. 53% a year ago. Renault (+20.2%) is the most dynamic, gaining two spots to #4, with Fiat (+17.1%), Chevrolet (+16.6%) and Volkswagen (+12.7%) also in excellent shape. But it’s Jeep (+23.1%) in 9th place that scores the largest gain in the Top 10, currently on a streak of 4 consecutive all-time volume records, while Toyota (+13.1%) is also in market-beating mode. On the other hand Nissan (-5.6%), Ford (-2.9%) and Honda (-0.1%) fail to take advantage of the recovering market. Outside the Top 10, Citroen (+43.3%) and Volvo (+33.2%) post fantastic scores but the hero of the year so far is Chinese carmaker Chery (+275.9%) almost multiplying its sales by 4 year-on-year to break back into the Top 20 at #14 with 8.517 sales. This is the strongest performance by a Chinese brand in Brazil since JAC in 2013 (#14 with 8.936 units).

Chery delivers the best performance for a Chinese carmaker since JAC in 2013.

Model-wise, the Chevrolet Onix (+30.4%) manages a spectacular gain and is comfortably headed towards a 5th consecutive annual win and a new annual volume record. All Top 9 models progress year-on-year, but the Hyundai HB20 (+5.1%) and Ford Ka (+4.9%) on the podium are the only ones having to get by with a single-digit uptick. The Chevrolet Prisma (+27.6%) almost matches its hatch variant’s pace, while the Renault Kwid (+36.5%) breaks into the Top 5 and both the Fiat Argo (+29.4%) and Jeep Renegade (+54.2%) crack the Top 10. Surprisingly, the VW Polo (-6.2%) tumbles down 6 spots from #4 to #10. Now a little over one year old, the Toyota Yaris Hatch (#24) and Sedan (#28) look like they might be even weaker than the Etios variants they replace. Instead, the VW T-Cross looks a lot more promising at #45 with only 3 months in market, peaking at #25 in June. The Citroen C4 Cactus (#47), Chery Tiggo 5X (#64) and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (#90) are the next best-selling new launches.

Previous post: Brazil June 2019: Jeep scores 4th consecutive all-time volume record in market up 9.4%

One year ago: Brazil First Half 2018: Volkswagen, Renault pull up recovering market

Full H1 2019 Top 20 brands and Top 150 models vs. Full H1 2018 figures below.