Chile April 2023: Toyota Hilux takes charge in collapsing market (-48.4%)

The Toyota Hilux is the best-selling vehicle in Chile in April.

The Chilean new light vehicle market collapses -48.4% year-on-year in April to 19,522 sales, as car sales align with low consumer confidence and challenging economic conditions. This pulls the year-to-date tally down -25.2% to 110,919. All segments are hit in a similar way. Passenger Cars are off -48.2% to 4,988 units, SUVs down -45.5% to 9,385 pickups down -52.9% to 3,172 and vans down -53.9% to 1,977. Year-to-date, pickups are the only segment in positive at +3.1% to 28,427 sales with Passenger Cars down -40% to 22,871, SUVs down -29.5% to 45,950 and vans off -21.8% to 13,671.

In the brands ranking, Toyota (-14.2%) resists very well to become the most popular for the 4th time in the past 5 months. Kia (-5.4%) fares even better and climbs 7 spots on March to #2, whereas Chevrolet (-54.5%) implodes to #3. Peugeot (-35.4%), Ford (-36.8%) and Hyundai (-37.8%) are the best performers in the remainder of the Top 10 while MG (-59.4%) and JAC (-51.1%) take a hard hit. Year-on-year gainers are rare and include Skoda (+170.8%), Mazda (+50.5%), Opel (+27.2%), Subaru (+27%) and Audi (+3.8%). #1 last month, Mitsubishi (-76.9%) sinks to #25 while March’s #3 Maxus (-78.3%) is down to #19. Chinese brands as a whole are down -62.1% to 25.7% share vs. 29.7% so far this year.

Model-wise, the Toyota Hilux (+15.1%) manages a year-on-year lift and takes the lead of the charts with 3.6% share, it ranks #3 year-to-date. Kia places two models on the podium: the Morning (-7.5%) at #2 and the Soluto at #3. The Peugeot Partner (+18.1%) surges 14 spots on March to #4, distancing the Toyota Yaris (+2.6%) and Suzuki Swift (+15.7%) all defying the negative market. The Chevrolet Groove aka Baojun 510 (-3.3%) is the best-selling SUV in the country this month as it is also year-to-date.

Previous month: Chile March 2023: Mitsubishi signs first win, Maxus first podium, sales down -9.4%

One year ago: Chile April 2022: First win for the Maxus T60, record market up 39%, Chinese up 95%

Full April 2023 Top 60 All brands and Top 30 models below.