Hyundai is one of the top automakers in the Philippines, thanks to these cars

MANILA: Hyundai started strong when they enjoyed a 9.1 increase in sales during the first half of 2019. They sold 17,654 Hyundai vehicles compared to the 16,181 sold in the same period the previous year. The South Korean automaker did suffer a decline in overall annual sales, but they were able to retain their position as one of the top-selling brands in the Philippines.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) sold 33,763 vehicles in the country from January to December 2019. This caused a 6.1 percent drop in yearly sales. Back in 2018, they sold 1,638 units more than they did last year for a total of 35,401 units.

After a strong start, Hyundai lost its lead in June 2019 when sales went flat. At which time, they only sold 2,868 units, resulting in a decline of total sales. According to the company, this is due to their lack of involvement in certain car segments such as pickup trucks.
Amidst the setback, Hyundai was able to keep its crown as one of the leading automakers in the Philippines. HARI President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo expressed her optimism for their brand in the upcoming year, hinting that they will introduce more Hyundai cars to Filipino buyers this 2020.

“We rose to the challenges in 2019 and have sustained our position as one of the preferred brands in the market. We are very excited to start the new decade with the introduction of innovative models that will disrupt certain segments,” said Perez-Agudo.

The brand’s success can be attributed to its strong presence in three car segments. Hyundai dominated the Passenger Car segment with their golden pair – Reina and Accent. From 1,516 units sold in December 2019, this rose by 8.5 percent to 1,645 units in January 2020.

Hyundai Reina was introduced early last year. Despite being a newcomer, it is now the second best-selling car in the A-segment. Hyundai Accent recently dropped in sales but the supermini tightly held its spot as the third best-selling car in the B-segment.
Sales for their Light Commercial Vehicles also grew by 2.9 percent in December 2019 compared to 2018. These numbers were spearheaded by the Hyundai H-100, a light truck, and Hyundai Kona, a subcompact SUV that earned a five-star safety rating under the New Car Assessment Program of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Hyundai performed best with Commercial Vehicles. The segment experienced a 63.4 percent growth thanks to the Hyundai County which, for a bus, managed to sell 907 units in 2019.

The company expects these numbers to rise given the government’s demand to upgrade public transportation. Last year, Hyundai Philippines introduced the Hyundai H-100 Class-1 Modern Jeepney, as well as two more jeeps that are based on the Hyundai HD50s platform.

“For 2020, you can trust that Hyundai will continue to exceed customer expectations with newer models, innovations in After-Sales, and more convenient ownership… Ultimately, we want to be an integral part of our customers’ lives as we give them better products, better services, and better journeys,” Perez-Agudo concluded.

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