Brazil October 2019: Jeep, Chery impress, Chevy Onix Plus lands at #6 in market down -1.4%

The Chevrolet Onix Plus replaces the Prisma in the Brazilian Top 10.

New vehicle sales in Brazil cough (read drop) for the second time in the past 3 months at -1.4% year-on-year in October to 241.175 units, leading to a year-to-date tally up 7.5% to 2.176.145. There are however wide variations among the Top 10 brands’ behaviour. If Chevrolet (-1.8%) drops slightly faster than the market but easily remain in pole position at 18% share, Volkswagen (+0.8%) and Fiat (+0.2%) both manage to edge up in the remainder of the podium. Toyota (+18.9%) leaps up spectacularly into 5th place, while Jeep (+25.8%) does even better at #8, lifting its all-time monthly volume record at 12.433 units, eclipsing the 12.006 units hit last July. Nissan (+8%) is also in great shape at #10 but in contrast, Honda (-19.5%), Renault (-9.8%), Hyundai (-6.6%) and Ford (-4.3%) lose significantly more ground than the market.

Outside the Top 10, BMW (+36.8%), Land Rover (+26.1%), Citroen (+11.8%), Audi (+4.7%) and Kia (+3.9%) stand out but once again Chery (+65%) is the best performer of all with 2.194 units, crossing the 2.000 monthly sales barrier for the first time in almost 8 years – since selling 2.243 units in December 2011, and delivering the largest monthly volume by a Chinese carmaker in exactly the same period – since JAC sold 2.402 units in the same month of December 2011. Chery also remains at #12 for the second month in a row, which is the highest monthly ranking ever hit by a Chinese carmaker in Brazil. However Chery does not break the Chinese volume nor share records, which are its own at 3.281 and 1.07% back in August 2011.

Model-wise, the Chevrolet Onix (-5%) for once loses some ground but remains firmly in control at 8.8% share for its 51st consecutive monthly win (no interruption since August 2015). The Ford Ka (-7.4%) is up two spots on September to #2, also snapping the #2 YTD spot off the Hyundai HB20 (-11%). The Fiat Argo (+10.2%) soars 6 ranks on last moth to #4, with the VW Polo (+19%) rounding out the Top 5. But the main event in the Brazilian October Top 10 is the thunderous arrival of the Chevrolet Onix Plus, up 59 spots on September directly to #6, but it’s only logical as it replaces the Prisma, down -44.8% to #22 this month, as the Onix 4-door variant. The VW T-Cross is up 6 ranks to a record #16, while the Jeep Renegade (+80.9%), Fiat Toro (+22.2%), Nissan Kicks (+19%) and Ford Ka Sedan (+17.7%) also shine in the remainder of the Top 20.

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

One year ago: Brazil October 2018: Chevrolet Onix breaks records in market up 24.5%

Full October 2019 Top 22 brands and Top 150 models below.