This year has been kind on the automotive industry due to a number of factors. Presumption of economic activities after a series of strict lockdowns, increasing value of Pakistani rupee, multiple new car launches, etc. The Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) has posted the car sales report for March 2021. As per the PAMA report, car sales snowballed for all carmakers in March’21. Here are the details.
Year-on-Year Car Sales in March 2021
As per PAMA report, Pakistani auto industry sold a total of 20,813 car units in March 2021. Compared to the sales figure for the same month of last year (March 2020), year-on-year car sales increased by 197.2%.
Like always, Pak Suzuki Motors led the competition with 10,161 cars in March 2021. Compared to the sales in March 2020, the company saw YoY growth of 208%.
Toyota Indus Motors held on to its second position with 6,695 car sales in March 2021. Compared to the sales in March 2020, the company saw YoY increase of 158%.
Honda Atlas had a refreshing month with 3,153 car sales in March 2021. Compared to the sales in March 2020, the company saw YoY growth of 102%.
Hyundai Nishat sold 723 cars during March 2021, and recorded month-on-month (MoM) growth of 11%.
Passenger Car Sales
Toyota Yaris remained the best-selling passenger car with 3,317 units sold in March 2021. Toyota Corolla came second with 2,126 units sold in March 2021, almost the same number as of March 2020. No gain, no loss.
Honda sold 2,603 units of City and Civic, 96% more than the 1,327 units sold in March 2020. Suzuki sold 355 Swift units in March 2021. Compared to only 82 units sold in March 2020, the number grew by a whopping 333%. The month of March also welcomed a new sedan, Hyundai Elantra, with 46 units already sold.
SUVs and Jeeps
SUVs and Jeeps won 1,671 sales in March 2021 than only 395 in March 2020. The comparison of two numbers shows YoY sales growth of 323%.
Among SUVs, Hyundai Tucson took the lead with 613, Honda BR-V came second with 550, and Toyota Fortuner came last with 508 units sold in March 2021.
2/3-Wheelers
Overall 170,350 two-wheelers and three-wheelers were sold in March 2021, against 100,413 units sold in March 2020. That means a growth factor of 70%.
Month-on-Month Car Sales
Pakistan was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic during March of last year. Every business faced losses because of the country-wide lockdown, so did the auto industry. But things are different this year. Although we are still under the foot of the pandemic, we have somehow accepted it and learned to live life despite of it. Unlike last year, people have not confined themselves at home and they are buying cars and all kinds of wheels. That is why, compared to the numbers of March 2020, the MoM car sales grew for all the vehicles, without any exceptions.
Suzuki Alto topped the sales chart with 12% MoM growth, followed by Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic and City with 29%, 81%, and 19% MoM sales growth. Similarly, MoM sales for Suzuki Cultus grew by 10%, for Suzuki Wagon R by 55%, and for Suzuki Swift by a factor of 98%.
