The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. said Monday sales declined 10.3 percent in the first two months of 2021 to 10,663 units from 11,890 units in the same period last year before the pandemic struck.
It noted signs of recovery in monthly sales, however, with members selling 5,401 vehicles in February, up by 3 percent from 5,262 units in January.
“AVID ended 2020 on a high note. And while we acknowledge that recovery will not come quickly, we remain focused on taking ‘baby steps’ at all fronts of our respective businesses and count on government to heed our call for a more comprehensive, long-term approach to reopening the economy by creating more job opportunities, upgrading infrastructure and logistics, and improving the ease and cost of doing business,” said AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.
Data showed that passenger car sales grew 12 percent in February to 1,518 units from 1,350 units in January. Two-month sales dropped 19 percent to 2,868 units from 3,540 units in the same period in 2020/
Suzuki posted the highest sales with 1,334 units, followed by Hyundai with 1,095 units sold since the start of the year.
“In the light commercial vehicles segment, AVID recorded a 9-percent dip from 8,264 units sold in February 2020 to 7,522 units sold in 2021. In February alone, sales slightly dipped by 2 percent with 3,728 units sold versus the 3,794 units sold in January,” Agudo said.
Ford led this segment with 3,228 units sold. Suzuki came in second with 1,735 units, closely followed by Hyundai with 1,322 units sold.
Hyundai reported a 217-percent growth in the commercial vehicles segment, selling 273 units in the first two months, up from 86 units sold in 2020. In February alone, sales rose 31 percent to 155 units from 118 units the previous month.