In a challenging retail environment, Toyota’s all-new Hilux has shot to the head of the leader board as SA’s best-selling vehicle in just its first full month of sales.
The “tougher-er” Hilux topped the sales chart with 3,273 deliveries in March, enabling Toyota to retain its title as best-selling brand for the month with an overall retail tally of 8,740 units. What this means is that Toyota has been the market leader for every month in the first quarter, with Hilux crowned as the most popular LCV year-to-date.
Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Toyota SA Motors, is particularly encouraged by this early performance of the new Hilux.
“What makes this achievement exceptional is that more than 60 per cent of Hilux sales – an astounding 2,000 units – came from the double cab variant due to the staggered model introduction,” Hamman said.
“Another telling statistic is that more than 95 per cent of all Hilux sales were generated via the dealer channel which is an indication of strong private buyer preference,” he said.
With virtually all current generation Fortuners sold out (a mere 20 were retailed for the month), the market is keenly anticipating the arrival of the latest version, which goes on sale on the 11th April.
Considering that Fortuner has historically garnered a segment market share close to 50 per cent since its first introduction in 2006, much is expected of the newcomer. With a monthly sales forecast of 1,100 units, Hamman is confident Toyota will strongly reinforce its position as the number one vehicle retailer in South Africa.
Source: Toyota SA