Philippine vehicle sales stalled in April 2025

Local vehicle sales are slowing down, industry data show. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Local vehicle sales dropped by a tenth in April, the 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 showed that sales in April reached 33,580 units.

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

READ: PH vehicle sales growth revved up to 7.6% 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 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.

Still Toyota

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

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. INQ