PH vehicle sales stalled in April 2025

FILE PHOTO: Vehicles are plying along Edsa-Main Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, as people go back to work from the holiday season, January, 3, 2023. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Local vehicle sales dropped by a tenth in April, marking its first monthly decline since the 7.3-percent drop in February 2022, as lower sales of both passenger and commercial vehicles pulled down overall market performance.

Data released on Monday by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed that unit sales in April reached 33,580 units.

This represents a 10-percent drop from the 37,314 units sold in April 2024, a sharp contrast to the 7.6- percent sales growth recorded in March.

Last April, passenger car sales plunged by 35.5 percent from a year ago, while commercial vehicle sales posted a more modest decline of 0.7 percent.

“While the overall market trajectory remains positive, the recent slowdown may be attributed to seasonal factors, economic conditions, or evolving consumer demands,” (CAMPI) President Rommel Gutierrez said in a statement.

“Industry leaders continue to monitor market trends and expect further developments in the months ahead,” he added

Electric vehicle (EV) sales held steady in April, accounting for 5.57 percent of the total for the month, with 1,509 units sold.

Hybrid vehicles made up 4.43 percent, plug-in hybrid vehicles for 0.08 percent, and battery electric vehicles for 1.06 percent of total electric vehicle sales.

In terms of brands, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation maintained a strong lead with a 48.88 percent market during the month, selling 16,414 units.

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Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. ranked second with a 19.02 percent market share, followed by Nissan Philippines, Inc. at 4.35 percent, Suzuki Philippines, Inc. at 4.65 percent, and Ford Motor Company Philippines, Inc. at 4.49 percent.

Despite the drop in April, total vehicle sales for the first four months of the year reached 150,654 units, a modest 2.54-percent increase from the 146,920 units sold during the same period in 2024.

Looking back at 2024, vehicle sales reached a new record high, totaling 467,252 units, though short of industry expectations.

Sales volume stood at 429,807 units in 2023, 352,596 units in 2022, 268,488 units in 2021, 223,793 units in 2020, and 369,941 units in 2019.