Archive
Malaysia March 2011: Perodua Myvi leads, Honda Insight up to #14
Honda Insight
The Malaysian car market has another solid month in March at 61,313 registration. First Quarter 2011 figures are up 8% year-on-year at 153,643 units. The Perodua Myvi is #1 again this month at 14% share, followed by the Proton Saga at 13.1% and the Perodua Viva at a slightly weaker than usual 9.8%.
The Proton Persona is in good shape at #4 with 8.2%, same for the Mitsubishi Triton at #11 with 1.8%. The Proton Inspira slips down to 1.8% compared to 2.4% last month. Duty-free prices have made hybrid cars more affordable this year in Malaysia and the effect is immediate: the Honda Insight jumps 18 spots this month to #14 at 896 sales and 1.5%.
Link to full Top 50 Ranking Table below.
Australia March 2011: Commodore #1, Lexus CT200 & Chery land Now with the Top 65 best selling models
Lexus CT200h
* Now with the Top 65 best selling models in Q1 2011: click on ‘Read more’ at end of post *
At 93,984 registrations, Australian car sales are down just 1% year-on-year in March. The Holden Commodore stays #1 at 4,170 sales and 4.4%, but the 2011 leader is still the Mazda3 at 11,159 units and 4.5%, thanks to another strong month at 3,979 sales and 4.2% in March (#3).
The Toyota Hilux takes the 2nd place only 140 sales behind the Commodore. Just behind the Toyota Corolla, the Holden Cruze is up 1 spot at #5 with a strong 3% share, and the Mitsubishi Triton is up to a brilliant 8th position. The Lexus CT (223 sales) and the Toyota FJ Cruiser (209) both appear for the first time in the Australian ranking.
March 2011 will also be remembered as the month Chinese brand Chery started in the country, launching the first Chinese passenger cars in Australia. The Chery J11 SUV (aka Tiggo) delivers 166 sales and the J1 (aka Face) lands 53 buyers. In the meantime the Great Wall V240 ute continues to grow, #64 in Q1 at 989 sales.
A few new models perform well in Q1: the Ford Fiesta is #17, the Hyundai ix35 #28, the Nissan Dualis multiplies its share by two at 1% and #31, the Mistubishi ASX is #50 and the VW Polo #57. With the discontinuation of the the Falcon model last year, the Ford Mondeo is now the default Ford station wagon and is up to #39.
March Top 10 & 1st Quarter 2011 Top 65 Ranking Tables: see ‘Read more’ below the Chery J11 pic.
Chery J11
Japan Kei cars March 2011: Suzuki Wagon R reclaims pole position
Suzuki WagonR
After two months under the leadership of the Daihatsu Move, the Suzuki Wagon R reclaims its title of best selling Kei car for the first time this year with 17,290 sales. It is however still #2 year-to-date at 42,764 units vs. 47,215 for the Move.
The next three models are unchanged from February: the Daihatsu Tanto is #3 at 13,528, followed by the Suzuki Alto (8,652) and the Honda Life (8,332). The Daihatsu Mira is up one spot at #6 and the Mitsubishi eK is up 3 spots at #8, whereas the new Suzuki MR Wagon drops 2 places at #12.
Full Top 20 Ranking Table below.
Norway March 2011: Mitsubishi ASX up to #5!
Car sales are up 12% this month in Norway at 12,901 units, and the best seller is the VW Golf again, at 5.5% and 714 sales, a comfortable 310 sales above the Volvo V70, up 2 spots at #2 with 404 sales and 3.1% share. All other models are under 3%, including the Toyota Avensis (2.9%) and the VW Passat (2.7%).
For the third month in a row the Mitsubishi ASX is the star in Norway: from #11 and 1.9% in January, to #10 and 2.1% in February, it is now up to #5 and 2.6%, passing its closest competitor the Nissan Qashqai (#9)… On the podium in April?
Full Top 15 Ranking Table below.
Russia February 2011: Kalina #1, Hyundai Solaris in Top 10
Scrappage schemes continue to boost the Russian market, up 80% in February at 165,518 registrations. For the 2nd time in four months, the Lada Kalina is the best selling car in the country, even though its share is down from January at 5.8%.
The Lada Priora takes the 2nd spot at 5.4% and the Lada 2105/7 is #3 at 5.2% but still #1 Year-to-date at 18,410 units and 6.3%. The Lada Samara is 4th at 3.9%, with the Renault Logan getting closer in 5th at 3.6% – the 1st foreign model.
The best performer this month is the Hyundai Solaris, a Russian-built version of the new Hyundai Accent: it enters directly in 9th position for its first month with 3,406 sales! Also impressive, the Mitsubishi ASX breaks into the Top 20 at #19 with 2,405 units sold.
Full Top 25 Ranking Table below.
Greece February 2011: Yaris #1 at 8.6%, ASX passes Qashqai
Greek car sales are down 48% in February at 6,988 units. The Toyota Yaris, best seller in 2010, climbs back onto the top spot with 604 sales and a massive 8.6% market share, ahead of the VW Polo at 5% and the Opel Corsa at 4.3%.
The Toyota Auris leads the compact segment in 4th with 256 sales and 3.7%. All Top 4 models deliver much higher shares than in 2010. Fiat has a good month with the Panda at #5 and the 500 at #10, and the Mitsubishi ASX passes the Nissan Qashqai for the first time with 78 sales (#26) vs. 71 (#29).
Full Top 40 Ranking Table below.
Norway February 2011: Golf & Avensis on top, ASX in Top 10
The year is looking better and better in Norway, with cars sales up 16% in February at 10,543 registrations. The VW Golf stays in the lead and the Toyota Avensis stays #2, however both with lower market shares than in January, at 5% and 3.1% respectively.
The Volvo V70 jumps back up to 3rd, followed by the VW Passat and the Ford Mondeo. The Mitsubishi ASX breaks into the Top 10 with 222 sales and 2.1%, in all likeliness the first time it does so anywhere in the world.
Full Top 20 Ranking Table below.
Vietnam January 2011: Innova and Corolla on top, Kia Forte up
Toyota Corolla in Sapa, Vietnam January 2011
The Vietnamese car market starts the year with a bang: it is up 48% with 10,424 registrations. Four Toyotas still dominate, but this time the Innova (6.7%) and Corolla Altis (6.5%) are on top, followed by the Fortuner (5.9%) and Vios (5.8%).
The Daewoo Lacetti (5.7%), Kia Morning (5.5%) and Kia Forte (4.2%) are all in very strong progression, ahead of the Kia Carens also very solid at 3.6%. The Mitsubishi Zinger jumps into the Top 20 at #16 (1.3%).
Kia Forte in Hanoi, Vietnam January 2011
Full Top 20 Ranking Table: click on ‘Read more’ below.
Brazil mid-February 2011: Uno closes in on Gol, Fiat Strada #4 Discover the Top 85 best selling models
Fiat Strada
After a weak January, the Fiat Uno is back in the race for #1 with a 8.4% share half-way through February, as the VW Gol drops to 8.8%. The VW Fox/CrossFox stays 3rd above 5%, and the Fiat Strada, a pick-up based on the Fiat Palio, climbs to #4 with 4,911 sales and 3.8%. Another successful pick-up is the Chevrolet Montana (based on the Chevrolet Agile), gaining 6 spots over January at #18 at 1,678 sales and 1.3%.
Other strong performances this month include the Honda City, up 6 spots at #22, the Citroen C3 Aircross continuing its progression at #42, the Kia Soul breaking into the Top 50 at #44 and the Mitsubishi ASX, up 15 spots at #64.
Full Top 85 Ranking Table: click on ‘read more’ below.
Chevrolet Montana
Venezuela January 2011: new gen Aveo over 20%!
Slow start for Venezuelan car sales this year at 5,803 registrations, down 22%. Chevrolet holds no less than 51% of the market and places 4 models in the first 4 spots: the Chevrolet Aveo is #1 at 20.4%, followed by the Optra (12%), C-3500 pick-up (9.1%) and Spark (5%).
The first non-Chevrolet is the Mitsubishi Lancer at #5 (258 sales), and let’s also welcome back Fiat in the rankings with the Palio at #8 and 218 sales. It is believed Fiat was kept out of the Venezuelan market by import restrictions last year.
Full Top 20 Ranking Table below.
Best Selling Cars - Matt's blog 
