Montero sales strong amid SUA allegations

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) posted a 50-percent hike in vehicle sales in January this year to 4,867 units compared to the same month in 2015 due to the strong performance of the Montero Sport model.

Despite the controversial sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) cases hurled against the Montero Sport, sales reached 1,622 units, accounting for a hefty third of the company’s total sales in January.

In a statement, MMPC first vice president for marketing Froilan Dytianquin said despite the issues that hounded the Montero Sport last year, the company was “truly delighted with the outcome of total reservations received as well as actual sales turnout last month. It confirms the market’s confidence in the Montero Sport brand.”

Following its launch last month, MMPC has already started delivering the new Montero Sport units to more than 3,000 buyers. The new unit’s price starts at P1.5 million.

“We believe that apart from its strikingly attractive and exciting styling, Montero Sport’s other features such as the new powerful and efficient 2.4 Mivec clean diesel, class-leading eight speed automatic transmission, advanced four-wheel drive system and safety features convinced our customers to consider our all-new Montero Sport,” Dytianquin said.

“I believe that you cannot really put a good product down.  We are also pleased that sales of the predecessor Montero model, which we intend to continue selling, also sold 200 times more than last December. I believe that in spite of the introduction of the new generation model, they still find this GLX model to have outstanding value for money proposition,” he claimed.

A number of customers earlier filed complaints against MMPC, which they said should be liable for the alleged SUA incidents that have caused accidents. The company is now waiting for a third party laboratory that will assess its accountability.

MMPC is also facing separate formal administrative charges filed by the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau at the Department of Trade and Industry for the alleged sale of defective, hazardous, and dangerous products based on the sworn statements submitted by 24 complainants.

MMPC targets to sell this year a total of 70,000 units, representing a 29 percent increase in sales from the 59,087 units it sold in 2014.