The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. (AVID) continued its healthy recovery in July with 5,100 units sold in the month, a 38% increase from June 2020’s 3,697 units sold.
The group notes that the demand for passenger cars and subcompact SUVs is beginning to pick up as consumers look for safe and affordable personal mobility with restrictions on public transport and the ongoing pandemic. There was also an increase in sales of small utility trucks and vans, underscoring the importance of transport and logistics in putting the Philippine economy back on track.
“The entire industry is undergoing rapid digital and transformation to meet the evolving needs of consumers, employing innovative and disruptive selling tactics to win back customers, and the agility to adapt to a more complex and unpredictable business environment,” said Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, president, AVID.
The Passenger Cars (PC) segment grew by 47% in July 2020 with 1,764 units sold over the 1,199 for June 2020. Likewise, the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) saw a 35% increase in July with 3,317 units sold compared to the previous month’s 2,462 units sold. Meanwhile, the Commercial Vehicles (CV) sales dropped 47% percent in July selling just 19 units.
As for the year-to-date for July 2020, units sales reached 24,607 a 51% decrease during the same time last year.
“Given that we have already bottomed out in the first semester, we believe the second half of the year will be better, assuming there are no further lockdowns past August 18. We understand the government’s decision to shift back to MECQ since we need to prioritize lives over livelihood. We anticipated such scenarios and are therefore prepared to adapt and respond, keeping in mind the needs and safety of our customers,” adds Agudo. “Our focus now is to win back consumer confidence and give them the best value during these pandemic times.”