PHL car sales down 7.6% in August

PHILIPPINE VEHICLE sales declined year on year in August to the lowest volume in four months, dragged by weaker demand for both passenger and commercial cars, according to industry data.

- Justine Irish D. Tabile Reporter

A joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed total vehicle sales fell by 7.6% from a year earlier to 36,174 units last month.

The drop was the slowest since the 10% decline in April, and the lowest volume since the 33,580 units sold that same month. On a monthly basis, vehicle sales slid 5.5% from 38,295 units in July.

“Despite a modest dip in month-on-month figures, the industry remains optimistic, driven by evolving consumer preferences and a growing shift toward sustainable mobility,” CAMPI said in a statement on Tuesday.

Passenger car sales, which made up over a fifth of industry volume, slumped 20% year on year to 7,591 units in August. Compared with July’s 8,120 units, passenger car sales were down 6.5%.

Commercial vehicle sales, which accounted for almost four-fifths of total sales, fell 3.5% to 28,583 units in August from a year earlier. This was also 5.3% lower month on month.

Within the commercial vehicle segment, light commercial vehicle sales dropped 4.4% year on year to 20,852 in August, while sales of Asian utility vehicles (AUV) inched up 0.2%. to 6,840 units.