Mexico is one of the most competitive markets to sell cars . Although it is medium in size – about a million units a year – there are more than 40 brands from all over the world. A great jump compared to the offer that existed two decades ago and that could be counted on the fingers of one’s hands.
In particular, the arrival of new brands has intensified in the last decade, shaking up the sales position table, which until before the arrival of new Chinese and South Korean brands was headed by American, Japanese and German brands.
But today, in the list of the 10 best-selling car brands in the country , new names already appear, such as MG -owned by the Chinese company Saic-, Hyundai and Suzuki; while others such as Ford and Honda have been dropping positions in the table and have disappeared from the Top 10 .
The shortage of semiconductors, which has limited the inventory of several models, as well as prices and equipment have contributed to changes in the top 10 positions in the sales table. General Motors, for example, is only three tenths of a point behind Nissan, while other brands that for years remained in the middle of the table, such as Suzuki, are now in ‘the big leagues’.
Nissan
The Japanese automaker took “the sales crown” from General Motors in 2009 , by positioning several of its models among the best sellers in the midst of the economic crisis. Tsuru, Sentra and the NP300 pickup -which then had a version with a wooden grille box that became popular due to its versatility and competitive price- were the models that remained the best-selling brand in Mexico for years.
Today, the brand still maintains several of its models among the 10 best sellers in the market, such as Versa, which has sold 35,131 units between January and September. The Sentra compact sedan, NP300 and March also make the list, according to AMDA data.
From January to September, the Japanese company accumulates 15.5% of the market, with 120,864 units sold, however, this percentage decreased compared to last year. In the same period, but from 2021, Nissan had a 20.7% share, that is, one of every five cars sold was of this brand.
But now, the gap against the second competitor has been reduced to just a few tenths of a percentage point.
General Motors
The American manufacturer, one of the oldest brands in the Mexican market, is about to overtake Nissan thanks to the fact that it has reinforced the offer of its volume brand, Chevrolet, with
General Motors currently markets the Chevrolet brands, with which it competes in the volume segment, while with Buick, GMC and Cadillac it covers various segments of the premium market. Among the best-selling models of the manufacturer, the Aveo Chevrolet subcompact stands out, of which it sold 28,211 units from January to September, positioning itself as the most sold model within the segment , while Onix, also from Chevrolet, was placed among the compacts, with 16,426 units occupying the second position.
Both models are manufactured by the Chinese manufacturer Saic.
At the end of September, General Motors was positioned as the second best-selling manufacturer, with 118,313 units sold and a market share of 15.2%, getting closer to Nissan. This represents a big jump from the same period last year, when it ranked as the third best-selling brand, after Nissan and Volkswagen, with a 13.1% share.
Volkswagen Group
The German automaker arrived in Mexico in 1965 and soon became popular in the market thanks to iconic models such as the Sedan, known as the Combi. Today, the German group markets, in addition to its flagship brand, the volume brands Seat and Cupra, and the premium brands Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley and Ducati.
Although Volkswagen’s market share has decreased in the last year, going from 13.2% between January and September 2021, to 11.0% in the same period this year, the German automaker remains the third best-selling in the country. .
Until now, one of its main sales engines had been the sedan, which with 14,257 units sold between January and September, was positioned as the third best-selling subcompact in Mexico, while the Saveiro pickup is also the third best-selling model within this segment, with 13,311 units.
Volkswagen, however, could have a slight setback after the end of Vento’s marketing this year, however, it will seek to compensate.
Toyota
The Japanese manufacturer arrived in Mexico in 2002 and today it is within the local market, with an offer of six models: Prius, Corolla, Cambry, RAV4, Sienna and
Unlike other volume brands, which have subcompact sedans among their best-selling models, Toyota’s best seller is the Hilux pickup, which between January and September ranked as the second best-selling model in its segment, with 17,163 units placed. in the local market.
Since 2016, the Japanese automaker has ranked fourth as the best-selling brand. Through the first nine months of the year, it has accumulated an 8.8% market share with 68,701 units, according to AMDA data.
KIA
The South Korean brand arrived in Mexico in 2015 and three years later it managed to establish itself as a position that it has maintained to this day.
Among its best-selling models is Kia Río , which is offered in sedan and hatchback versions, and of which the brand sold 38,226 units between January and September, becoming the best-selling model in Mexico.
With a total of 66,580 units sold in the first nine months of the year, Kia accumulates an 8.6% share in the local market , a figure that increased 0.5% compared to the same period in 2021.
Stellar
Stellantis is an international automobile group, based in the Netherlands, founded at the beginning of last year after the merger between the Italian-American Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group. In Mexico, the firm markets the RAM, Dodge, Fiat, Chrysler, Peugeot and Alfa Romeo brands.
From January to September, Chrysler sold 5,943 units, being the group’s brand with the greatest presence in Mexico.
In the first nine months of this year, it was positioned as the sixth automaker that generates the most sales in the country, with a 6.5% market share. The difference with the same period last year is minimal, since as of September 2021 it had a market share of 6.6%.
MG Motor
Of those marketed in Mexico -Jac, Baic, Changan, JMC, Chirey and MG Motor-, the latter is the one that has managed to scale the fastest .
It arrived in Mexico in October 2020 with an offer of three models: a compact sedan and two SUVs, an offer that increased to five models. Currently , AMDA places the MG5 compact sedan as the eighth most popular model among all vehicles, considering all segments, with 15,534 units sold in the first nine months of the year.
From January to September of last year, it was not included in the list of the 10 best-selling brands, however, today the story is different. With 33,204 vehicles sold, the company accumulates a 4.3% market share, thus reaching seventh place.
Mazda
The Japanese manufacturer Mazda arrived in Mexico in October 2005 with three models: Mazda3, Mazda5 and Mazda6. After buying back its shares from the American automaker in 2008 and developing its own vehicle architecture, Mazda has embarked on a transformation away from its focus on economic performance, marketed under the “Zoom-Zoom” label, to what is now calls Mazda Premium under the latest slogan “Feel Alive”.
From January to September, it has sold 8,808 units of its Mazda3 in sedan and hatchback versions, this being its best-selling model so far this year , followed by the CX-5 SUV with 6,079 units and Mazda2, in its sedan and hatchback versions. with 5,701 units.
In the first nine months of the year, the Japanese firm has sold 28,716 units, equivalent to a 4.0% market share, ranking as the eighth best-selling brand . However, last year in the same period it occupied the seventh position.
Recently, the brand announced one and expanded financing schemes to increase its sales and double its market share to 9%.
Hyundai
The automaker from South Korea, Hyundai, began operations in Mexico in 2014 with the arrival of three models: Grand i10, Elantra and ix35. It reached the first 200,000 units sold in August 2019 , which stands out as one of its milestones.
The Grand i10 subcompact is the best-selling brand in the country, with 10,166 units placed in the local market in these first nine months of the year, followed by the Creta SUV with 8,151 units, the Tucson SUV with 5,959 units and Accent, in its sedan and hatchback versions, with 4,516 units.
From January to September, it sold 30,130 units of all its models, thus accumulating 4.0% of the market, a figure that made it the ninth best-selling brand in the country. In the same period last year it held the same position, but with a 3.8% share.
The South Korean brand recently to compete in that market and pave the way for electrification.
Suzuki
The Japanese manufacturer arrived in the Mexican market in 2005 with two models: the Aerio sedan and the Grand Vitara in the SUV segment, marketing 762 units in its first year. In 2006, after presenting three more vehicles, Swift, SX4 Crossover and SX4 Sedan, it managed to quintuple its sales with more than 4,000 units placed at the end of that year.
In the first nine months of this year, it has sold 10,411 units of the Swift subcompact, this being its best-selling vehicle in Mexico , followed by the Ertiga compact with 5,590 units, the Igns subcompact with 5,273 and its with 4,379 units.
From January to September, the Japanese company has sold 29,971 vehicles, a figure that has led it to occupy the tenth position as the best-selling brand in the country, with a 3.8% market share . In the same period last year, the automaker was not on this list.
