Thai March Sales Hit Record Levels Across the Board

Thailand’s new-vehicle sales continue to reach for the stars in March, up 41.9% to 157,527 units as the industry notched record deliveries in every segment.

Car sales soared 93.4% to 78,816 units. Commercial vehicles climbed 12.1% to 78,711 and within this segment, 1-ton pickup trucks rose 7.4% to 66,336.

Toyota Thailand, which collates national data for the industry, says the latest result drove first-quarter sales up 48% to 413,256 units.

The car segment surged 97.2% in the first three months to 202,142 units, while commercial deliveries gained 19.4% to 211,114, including the 1-ton truck category improving 13.3% to 176,530.

Toyota Thailand Executive Vice President Wutthikorn Suriyachantanano says the market remained buoyed by continuing deliveries of the backlog of vehicles sold under last year’s government first-car tax-refund program.

Wutthikorn says the Thai industry expects April sales to continue growing, as the country’s overall economic situation is headed in the right direction.

Auto makers also are benefiting from nonstop marketing activities and popular new model introductions.

Toyota led the March market with sales up 4.2% to 47,518 units, ahead of Honda, climbing 18.2% to 28,708 and Isuzu, rising 7.1% to 22,055.

Honda continued its comeback from the late-2011 flood disaster to lead the car market, spiking 1,357.5% to 25,434 units. Toyota followed with a 0.1% uptick to 19,880 and still ahead of surging Nissan, up 60.5% to 15,893.

In the important 1-ton truck segment, Toyota led March sales, up 8.4% to 25,846 units. Isuzu rose 3.8% to 19,701 and Mitsubishi was a distant third after slipping 16.6% to 7,157.

Chevrolet remained atop the non-Japanese segment despite March sales falling 11.0% to 5,609 units. Ford closed the gap, with deliveries improving 47.2% to 4,875 units.

For the first quarter, Toyota remained unchallenged atop the Thai market as sales rose 3.3% to 125,222 units. Honda rocketed 2,539.9% to 72,202, while Isuzu was third with a more modest 26.1% gain to 62,757.

Honda led the car market after three months as sales surged 2,293.4% to 62,229 units, ahead of Toyota, up 5.3% to 53,935 and Nissan, up 55.9% to 33,047 units.

Toyota led the CV segment with first-quarter sales rising 1.9% to 71,287 units, ahead of Isuzu, up 26.1% to 62,757 and Mitsubishi, falling 9.7% to 20,772. Within this, Toyota remained atop the 1-ton truck market with deliveries up 1.9% to 66,284 units. Isuzu followed, up 22.3% to 56,282 while Mitsubishi saw a 9.7% slide to 20,772.

Chevrolet finished the first quarter with sales up 14.1% to 17,454 units, ahead of Ford, jumping 50.6% to 15,106.

The booming domestic market helped drive Thai production up 34.3% year-on-year in March to 256,231 units and first-quarter output ahead 44.5% to 721,460.

The Bangkok Post quotes Federation of Thai Industries automotive club spokesman Surapong Paisitpatanapong as saying the result included March exports exceeding 100,000 units for the first time since 1988.

Exports rose 14.4% in March compared with year-ago to 102,742 units for a 3-month total up 28.7% to 283,966.