Brazil September 2019: Chevrolet signs first 1-2 in at least 35 years (Onix-Prisma), Chery hits highest ever Chinese brand ranking (#12)

The Chevrolet Onix celebrates 50 straight months as the #1 vehicle in Brazil.

After a July hiccup (-3.5%), the Brazilian new vehicle market is back to splendid growth at +9.1% in September to 223.240 units, in line with its YTD gain of +8.7% at 1.935.013 registrations. Atop the brands ranking, both Chevrolet (+12.2%) and Volkswagen (+12.7%) markedly outpace the market to establish themselves at 18.3% and 16% share respectively vs. 17.9% and 15.4% YTD. Fiat (+8.4%) is a little more discreet but easily remains in third place, followed by Renault (+21.6%) posting the largest gain in the Top 7. In fact the remainder of the Top 7 is entirely in negative: Toyota (-5.1%), Ford (-4%) and Hyundai (-1.9%) all underperforming this month. At #8 Jeep (+26.6%) manages a 7th consecutive five-digit monthly volume, while just outside the Top 10 Citroen (+59.6%) posts another fantastic score, although not as good a Chery (+83.8%) up two spots on August to #12 with 1.849 sales and 0.8% share after being stuck at a record #14 for 7 straight months. Chery therefore snaps the highest monthly ranking ever hit by a Chinese carmaker in Brazil (#12), and the largest volume by a Chinese brand in 6.5 years, since JAC sold 1.988 units in April 2013. However this is not the highest ever Chinese volume nor share, both records Chery does however holds at 3.281 and 1.07% back in August 2011.

Chery hits #12, the highest ever ranking held by a Chinese brand in Brazil.

In the models ranking, the Chevrolet Onix (+17%) celebrates the arrival of its new generation by almost doubling the market growth rate and sporting an incredible 50th consecutive monthly win (no interruption since August 2015). Chevrolet even manages a 1-2 with the Prisma (+37%) up 4 spots on August to #2: this is the first time Chevrolet monopolises the Top 2 spots in the Brazilian monthly charts since at least 1984 when both the Chevrolet Monza and Chevette were strong sellers. The Renault Kwid (+60.9%) rounds out the podium, signing its 2nd ever Brazilian Top 3 finish alongside September 2017 when it ranked #2. The Jeep Renegade (+79.8%), Fiat Strada (+40%) and VW Polo (+18.1%) also shine in the Top 10 while the VW T-Cross (#22) tops new launches but is down 2 spots on last month, distancing the Citroen C4 Cactus at #43 (+10), the Chery Tiggo 5X at #61 (+1) and the Chevrolet Onix Plus at #65 – which is meant to replace the Prisma as the Onix sedan offer in Brazil.

Previous month: Brazil August 2019: Volkswagen (+14.4%), Citroen (+14%), Chery (+64.2%) defy largest market drop in 30 months (-3.5%)

One year ago: Brazil September 2018: Volkswagen, Fiat, Jeep, Chery lift sales up 5.8%

Full September 2019 Top 20 brands and Top 150 models below.