Thailand August 2020: Isuzu D-Max (+45.3%) continues to outclass Toyota Hilux (-13%), Corolla Cross up to #5 in slowly recovering market (-14.8%)

The Isuzu D-Max remains firmly in control of the Thai market.

12/10 update: Now with sub-compact hatch models data.

05/10 update: Now with compact SUV models data.

03/10 update: Now with sub-compact SUV models data.

Despite having long brilliantly controlled the spread of Covid-19, the Thai new car market remains in frank negative in August at -14.8% year-on-year to 68.883 units, leading to a year-to-date tally off -33.4% to 456.822. This is however a much smaller drop than in March (-41.7%), April (-65%), May (-54.1%), June (-35.4%) or July (-26.9%). After outselling Toyota for the first time in history in June, Isuzu (+34.7%) continues to blissfully ignore the depressed market conditions with the only year-on-year gain – let alone double-digit one – in the Top 6. Isuzu is however outsold by Toyota (-20.8%) for the 2nd month running.

Below, Honda (-25.8%), Mitsubishi (-32.5%) and Nissan (-17.9%) all fall faster than the market in the remainder of the Top 5. Mazda (-7.6%) does better it’s MG (+44.6%) that scores the largest gain in the Top 10 at #7 and 4%, equalling its all-time ranking and share records in Thailand already hit last June. Suzuki (-8.8%) also does well in the remainder of the Top 10 while further down, Peugeot (+1400%), Kia (+144.8%), Lexus (+87.5%), Ssangyong (+44.4%) and Hyundai (+13.4%) stand out with spectacular gains.

The Toyota Corolla Cross is up to #5 for its 2nd month in market.

Model-wise, the new generation Isuzu D-Max (+45.3%) continues to bludgeon the facelifted Toyota Hilux (-13%), although it is gradually losing share: from 56% of the pickup segment in June to 47% in July and 45% this month. Meanwhile the Hilux has gone from 23% of the pickup segment in June to 32% in July and 35.5% in August. Both the D-Max and Hilux post overall shares above their YTD levels at 21.6% and 17.2% respectively. The Honda City easily remains the best-selling passenger car in the country at #3 and 4.6% followed by the Mitsubishi Triton (-21.4%) while the Toyota Corolla Cross shoots up to #5 overall with 3.1% and over 2.100 sales for its 2nd month in market, annihilating the sub-compact SUV segment.

Previous month: Thailand July 2020: Isuzu D-Max (+17.7%) discards facelifted Toyota Hilux (-25.7%), Corolla Cross lands at #11 in reeling market (-26.9%)

One year ago: Thailand August 2019: Mitsubishi, Honda defy largest market drop since November 2016 (-6.9%)

Full August 2020 Top 20 All-brands, Top 10 models and sales for selected 48 models below.