The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. said Monday its members sold 58,916 units in 2021, up 14 percent from 51,851 units in 2020.
“With unwavering confidence in the market and in the quality of our product and service offerings, AVID members are determined to build on these gains and look forward to an even better normal in 2022,” said AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.
AVID said the light commercial vehicle segment recorded the largest market share with 73 percent and posted a 23-percent increase in sales to 42,871 units from 34,896 units in 2020.
Ford Motors Philippines Inc. led the segment with 18,324 units sold in 2021, or 3.3 percent higher than 13,770 units it sold in 2020. Suzuki followed with 11,314 units while Geely ranked third with 6,104 units.
Commercial vehicles also grew by 212 percent to 936 units from 305 units, led by Hyundai trucks and buses.
Meanwhile, passenger car sales remained the most affected by the pandemic, with 9-percent decline in sales to 15,092 units in 2021 from 16,650 units in 2020.
Despite the year-on-year drop of 28 percent, the segment’s month-on-month performance gradually improved by 3 percent to 1,140 units in December 2021 from 1,111 units in November.
Suzuki Philippines posted the highest sales of 8,079 units in 2021, or 2 percent higher than 768 units sold in November.
AVID expressed optimism for renewed opportunities in the Philippine automotive sector and said it was expecting better performance from all member-companies.
“You cannot downplay the importance of mobility in the reopening of the economy, gradual though it may be,” Agudo said.