Brazil August 2020: VW #1 again, Jeep up to record #6, Fiat Strada (+29.2%) shines in market struck -24.8%

The new model pushes the Fiat Strada to its highest ranking in over 5 years.

Total Covid-19 infections in Brazil have now reached 4 million, over one million more than a month ago, with lives lost approaching 125.000. Brazil still features as the second most affected country in the world for now but thankfully these figures have started to slow down their growth. Yet the new car market remains in doldrums with August volumes down another -24.8% year-on-year to 173.544 units, bringing the year-to-date tally down -35.7% to 1.099.862. We had indeed anticipated 173.000 Brazilian sales for August so our 2020 forecast remains unchanged at 1.87 million (-30%). Whereas Volkswagen hadn’t held the top of the Brazilian brands ranking for almost a decade (since January 2011) before last June, it now 3peats at #1 thanks to sales down a moderate -13% to 19.7% share, well above the 17.3% it commands YTD. Fiat (+0.1%) manages the only year-on-year uptick in the Top 5 and advances to #2. This means Chevrolet (-32%), which held the brands pole position without interruption between October 2015 and May 2020, is pushed down to #3 for the first time since August 2015. Below Hyundai (-17.9%) and Toyota (-33.4%), Jeep gains 4% to step up two spots on July to smash its ranking record at #6 after getting stuck at a best-ever #8 for 14 straight months between June 2019 and July 2020. Below, Renault (-65%), Ford (-46.8%), Nissan (-35.1%) and Honda (-26.6%) all fall faster than the market. BMW (+16.3%) posts the only additional gain in the Top 20, with Mercedes (-3.5%), Volvo (-4.5%), Chery (-5.7%) and Mitsubishi (-8.4%) also holding very well.

The new Nivus is up to #26 and helps Volkswagen stay atop the brands charts.

Model-wise, after having its ending an incredible 59 month-reign interrupted by the VW T-Cross in July, the Chevrolet Onix (-52.6%) reclaims the top spot in August, making it 60 win in the past 61 months despite a horrendous year-on-year drop. The rest of the Top 5 is going entirely against the negative grain with 100% positives: the Fiat Strada soars 29.2% thanks to the new model and hits its highest ranking since March 2015 at #2, distancing the Hyundai HB20 (+3.7%) and VW Gol (0.8%) just as the hero of last month, the VW T-Cross (+52.8%) drops 4 spots to #5. Below the Fiat Argo (-7.9%) and Chevrolet Onix Plus, the Chevrolet Tracker (+357.3%) continues to evolve at a markedly higher level than the previous generation a year go. The Jeep Compass (+7.8%) and Renegade (+0.4%) round out the Top 10 and are separated by only 10 sales. Launched in June, the VW Nivus soars 36 ranks on last month to easily break into the Brazilian Top 50 at #26, and we welcome the Nissan V-Drive at #139 which is in fact a previous generation Versa.

Previous month: Brazil July 2020: VW T-Cross ends Chevrolet Onix’s 5 year domination, first SUV #1 in reeling market (-29.8%)

One year ago: Brazil August 2019: Volkswagen (+14.4%), Citroen (+41%), Chery (+64.2%) defy largest market drop in 30 months (-3.5%)

Full August 2020 Top 30 brands and Top 150 models below.