Hyundai sales in PH up 9.1% in first half

Hyundai Accent the bestselling passenger car in the brand’s lineup.

HYUNDAI’S sales in the Philippines during the first six months of 2019 grew 9.1% when compared to the same January-to-June period last year on the back of strong deliveries of commercial vehicles.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the brand’s local distributor, said it sold 17,654 vehicles during the first half of the year, compared to 16,181 vehicles during the same six-month stretch in 2018.

The company said deliveries of its light commercial vehicles (LCV) grew 50.2%, representing 7,690 units this year against only 5,119 units during the first semester of 2018. Emerging as Hyundai’s bestselling LCV models were the Kona and Santa Fe, according to HARI.

It noted sales of its commercial vehicles (CV) also increased 42% during the same period but did not cite how many units the growth rate represented. Instead, HARI said it expects sales of its CV models to be boosted by its modern jeepneys as the implementation of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program progresses.

In contrast to the strong performance of Hyundai’s commercial vehicles, sales of the brand’s passenger cars dipped 12.7% year-on-year to 9,458 units during the first half of 2019. HARI said passenger cars make up “a little over half of total company sales,” adding the Hyundai Accent continues to be a “volume driver” while the Hyundai Reina remains the “preferred choice of entry-level buyers and Transport Network Vehicle Services companies.

HARI bared its sales in June “remained flat with 2,868 units sold.”

Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, the company’s president and CEO, said HARI is “invigorated” that its sales performance outpaced that of the local auto industry during the first half of the year.

“Despite this flat growth in June, we believe that auto sales will continue to get better in the coming months, buoyed by higher infrastructure spending, lower inflation, and increased consumer confidence,” she said.