Taiwan March 2020: Tesla Model 3 breaks into Top 5 in market safe from coronavirus (+14.5%)

The Model 3 lifts Tesla into the Taiwanese Top 10 brands for the first time.

Taiwan reacted very quickly and decisively upon the announcement of the coronavirus outbreak in China in January. The government’s early deployment of epidemic control measures and follow-up actions have received international praise and approval and have contained the number of cases in the country to 322 and 5 deaths as of March 31. As a result the new car market has not been affected, with March sales actually up 14.5% year-on-year to 37.079, leading to a year-to-date tally up 8.2% to 104.046.

Toyota (+48.3%) and Mitsubishi/CMC (+50.1%) both post spectacular gains to top the brands charts like they do year-to-date and like they did over the FY2019. Mercedes (+6.8%) climbs onto the podium, distancing Honda (-15.8%) and Nissan (-18.3%) both in difficulty. Mazda (+32.3%) and Lexus (+22.7%) shine but the hero of the month is Tesla (+664%) breaking into the Taiwanese brands Top 10 for the very first time at #9.

Model-wise, the Toyota RAV4 (-6.9%) signs a third consecutive pole position and 7th win in the past 8 months, widening the YTD gap with the Toyota Corolla Altis (+181.3%) to 1.800 units. The Sienta (+99.7%) ensures the podium is 100% Toyota, and below the CMC Veryca (+2.6%) the Tesla Model 3 is up 61 spots on February to break into the Taiwanese Top 5 for the first time at #5, after ending December at #10.

Previous month: Taiwan February 2020: Toyota RAV4 reigns supreme in market up 39.2%

One year ago: Taiwan March 2019: Toyota RAV4 shoots up 92.2% to 9.1% share in market down -17.5%

Full March 2020 Top 10 brands and Top 70 models below.