Thailand LV Sales Rally for 13.3% Increase in 2017

Thailand’s auto industry credits government support measures with helping boost 2017 new-vehicle sales 13.3% year-on-year to 870,748 units.

Toyota Thailand, which collates sales statistics for the industry, says the car market rose 23.5% to 345,501 units, while the light-commercial-vehicle segment edged up 7.4% to 525,247, including the 1-ton pickup market ahead 7.7% at 424,282.

Toyota Thailand President Michinobu Sugata says the Thai auto market is recovering after hitting bottom in 2016 following four straight years of decline.

“Considering the statistical trend in the auto market, we can see a significant growth due to the Thai government’s support measures to stimulate GDP economic growth at 3.9%,” he says.

Sugata says the 2018 industry outlook is even more favorable than 2017. The growth in GDP, combined with public and private-sector investments and growing consumer confidence, will see industry sales rise 2.4% to 900,000 units, he predicts.

This will include the car market up 1.9% at 352,000 units and the LCV segment ahead 4.3% at 548,000, with 1-ton pickups edging down 0.1% at 424,000.

The year ended with December sales jumping 19.0% at 103,400 units. Toyota rose 11.9% to 31,382 units, ahead of Isuzu, down 0.5% at 15,442, and Honda, spiking 39.8% at 14,463.

The car market was up 38.1% at 40,700 units, with Toyota up 32.9% at 12,244, Honda ahead 57.7% at 10,629, and Nissan up 81.0% at 4,493.

LCV deliveries rose 9.3% in December to 62,700 units, with Toyota up 1.6% at 19,138, Isuzu down 0.5% at 15,442, and Ford up 35.7% at 6,694.

Within the segment, 1-ton pickup deliveries rose 8.4% to 50,459 units, with Toyota up 2.4% at 18,076, Isuzu down 1.0% at 13,982, and Mitsubishi, up 32.9% at 6,377.

For the full year, Toyota was the runaway leader, despite sales falling 2.0% to 240,137 units. Isuzu followed, up 12.1% at 160,550 units, ahead of Honda, up 19.0% at 127,768.

The car segment saw Toyota climb 10.7% to 96,606 units, ahead of Honda, up 21.7% at 95,078, and Mazda, up 34.3% at 36,769.

Isuzu prevailed in the yearlong battle for LCV sales supremacy, rising 12.1% to 160,550 units. Toyota slipped to second, down 27.3% at 143,531 units, ahead of Ford, up 39.0% at 55,585.

Within the LCV market, Isuzu topped the 1-ton pickup segment, up 13.4% at 146,165 units.

Toyota followed, down 10.1% at 133,458 units, ahead of third-place Ford, up 36.2% at 52,664.

Sugata predicts Toyota’s 2018 sales will rise 24.9% to 300,000 units for a 33.3% market share. He sees car deliveries rising 17.0% to 113,000 units and LCVs up 17.6% at 187,000.

Sugata says Toyota Thailand will debut new technology that includes a new generation of hybrids, the Toyota new global architecture platform, Toyota Safety Sense and Toyota T-connect Telematics.

Mazda Thailand says it is going into 2018 confident it can achieve combined sales of more than 60,000 units in 2018, an increase of 15% over 2017 when its deliveries climbed 21% to 51,355.

President Chanchai Trakarnudomsuk says the industry is being helped by the growth and recovery since the start of 2017, and he predicts the Thai market will grow 5% to 920,000 units this year.

Vice President Atsushi Yasumoto says production of several important Mazda models has been relocated from Japan to Thailand, home to the automaker’s first integrated manufacturing center outside Japan.

“Thailand is capable of producing engines and transmissions apart from carrying out assembly of the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda CX-3 and Mazda BT-50 PRO at the AutoAlliance Thailand plant in Rayong,” he says. “Mazda is also raising production at the Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing Thailand plant for Skyactiv engines and transmissions.”