Egypt First Quarter 2020: Free trade agreements trigger custom exemptions and market up 50.7%

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling Passenger Car in Egypt so far in 2020.

Three recent international trade agreements gave a boost to the Egyptian new vehicle market over the First Quarter of 2020 with sales up 50.7% to 52.931 units vs. just 35.118 over the same period in 2019, that includes 37.011 passenger cars, up 58% on the 23.402 sold over Q1 2019. However in March, the growth was “only” 30% to 16.721 with Passenger Cars up 37.6% to 11.662 with reports of sales down -80% over the last week of March as COVID-19 movement restrictions started to be put in place. There is now a new Egyptian-European partnership, a Free Trade Agreement with Turkey and the Agadir Agreement which allow custom exemptions from the European Union, Turkey and Morocco, in effect cancelling rates of 12% for cars between 1300 and 1600 cc, 30% between 1600 and 2000 cc and 40.5% above 2000 cc. And these have not only spectacularly boosted Egyptian sales over Q1 but also reshaped the best-selling landscape.

The Fiat Tipo ranked #2 Passenger Car two months into 2020.

Some brands have also started disclosing sales which have given a further boost to the total volume. So far in 2019, Chevrolet remains by far the most popular brand with just under 20%, but the rest of the Top 10 is completely reshuffled compared to the FY2019 ranking. Toyota is up two spots to #2, Nissan and Hyundai each down one to #3 and #4 respectively and Renault stays at #5. Chinese carmaker MG now shares data and with just under 3.000 sales so far this year lands directly at a very impressive 6th place overall and #1 Chinese above Chery (#9), King Long (#11), BYD (#13) and Golden Dragon (#15).

MG lands directly at #6 brand in Egypt, the MG5 its best-seller.

Below the unassailable Chevrolet “Tank” T-Series pickup (aka Isuzu D-Max) just under 10% share, the new Free Trade Agreements have completely reshaped the 2020 models ranking, with the Toyota Corolla (made in Turkey) up to #2, the Fiat Tipo (Turkey) up to #4, the Renault Logan (Morocco) up to #5 and the Opel Astra (EU) up to #14. The locally-made King Long Bus (#7), a Toyota Hiace from two generations ago, is now the most popular Chinese nameplate in Egypt, distancing the Chery Arrizo 5 (#11), BYD F3 (#13), MG5 (#15) and MG ZS (#16). Note the MG ZS even ranked #7 Passenger Car over the first two months of 2020.

Full Q1 2020 Top 20 brands and Top 30 models below.

Full January-February 2020 Top 10 Passenger Cars models vs. 2019 figures below.