After 20 consecutive months of year-on-year decline, Chile's new light vehicle sales have finally stopped falling and recovered. Sales increased by 30.6% year-on-year, an increase of more than 3%. Sales exceeded 25,000 units and reached 25,490 units. However, this sales figure is not good. Because April 2023 is down 48.4% from the previous year. Although there was a rebound of more than 30% last month, it still failed to return to the sales figures of the same period in 2022. On a year-on-year basis, sales fell by 12.9% year-on-year from January to April 2024, with sales of less than 96,582 units.
Chinese car brands performed strongly in the Chilean market. There are 29 Chinese car brands developing in this South American market. The share in April reached 30.9%, and sales increased by 57.1% year-on-year. There are two Chinese brands in the top 10 list. There are eight of the top 20 lists.
The best performer was the Great Wall. The year-on-year increase was 188.7%, an increase of nearly 2 times. With sales of 1,325 units, it remained in 7th place. MG Motor ranked ninth with 928 units sold. The ranking has risen by 1 notch from March. However, the year-on-year growth rate of 14.6% fell short of the average. Chang'an's ranking has also risen. Ranked 11th, up 2 notches from March. Sales increased by 32.7% year-on-year to 860 units.
In terms of branding, Suzuki performed well. It increased by 60.2% year-on-year, and stood in the top position with sales of 2020 units. This is the first time since December 2021 that Suzuki has been the champion of the month. Toyota is not doing well. Bucking the trend, it fell 10.4%. With sales of 1,813 units, it fell one notch to second place.
Hyundai is doing well. A year-on-year increase of 40.8%, an increase of more than 4%. With sales of 1,631 units, the ranking rose two places from March and ranked third. Sister brand Kia performed weakly. With a year-on-year decline of 18.6%, it was one of the two brands in the top 10 brands to record a decline. And it was the one with the biggest drop. The ranking dropped 2 notches to sixth place.
Chevrolet dropped out of the top three. Although it did not fall, it did not fall by 9.5% year-on-year, and the performance did not reach the average. With sales of 1,609 units, the ranking dropped two levels to fourth place.
In terms of models, the performance of Chinese cars is also worthy of recognition. There are three Chinese cars in the top 10 list. The best performer was Maxus' T60 pickup truck. The year-on-year increase was 185.1%, and the sales volume nearly doubled. With 459 units sold, the ranking rose three notches to seventh place.
The Great Wall cannon followed. This pickup is popular in China and can be eaten in Chile as well. A year-on-year increase of 68.4%, an increase of nearly 7%. With sales of 453 units, it remained in sixth place. Another Great Wall model also squeezed into the top 10 list. The year-on-year increase was 153.5%, and the sales volume doubled. With sales of 436 units, the company maintained its eighth position.
The three best-selling models are all Japanese cars. Toyota's Hilux pickup truck has risen one notch in the ranking from March, standing in the top position. The year-on-year increase was 2.1%, and sales were about the same as the same period last year, at 724 units. In second place is the Mitsubishi L200 with 681 units sold. Suzuki Swift increased by 64.9% year-on-year, with sales of 597 units. The ranking has risen 2 levels from March and is in third place.