Philippine vehicle sales down 6% in September

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter

PHILIPPINE AUTOMOTIVE sales declined by 6% year on year in September as external headwinds continued to weigh on consumer demand, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA).

However, demand in the electrified segment remained strong, with total electric vehicle (xEV) sales quadrupling in September.

CAMPI-TMA data showed that total vehicle sales slid by 5.8% to 35,722 units in September from 37,915 units sold last year.

Month on month, total industry sales jumped by 20.6% from 29,612 units sold in August. Demand for vehicles recovered after weather-related disruptions hurt sales in August.

Following the monthly improvement in vehicle sales, CAMPI President Jose Maria M. Atienza said he is upbeat that the automotive industry will stay in growth territory by yearend.

“Based on annual sales trends heading into the final months of the year, we believe the industry is well-positioned to sustain its momentum and deliver a strong overall performance in 2026,” he said in a statement.

CAMPI-TMA data showed passenger car sales dipped by 1.9% to 7,799 units in September from 7,948 units last year. On a monthly basis, sales of passenger cars rose by 15% from 6,784 units in August.

Commercial vehicle sales declined by 7.2% to 27,923 units in September from 30,081 units a year ago. Month on month, commercial vehicle sales jumped by 22.3% from 22,828 units sold in August.

Broken down, sales of light commercial vehicles declined by 2.6% to 20,553 units in September from 21,109 units sold last year.

Asian utility vehicle sales likewise fell by 17.9% to 6,518 units from 7,943 units sold in the same month last year.

Light-duty truck sales slipped by 17% to 489 units in September from 589 units a year ago, while sales of medium-duty trucks declined by 21% to 293 units from 371 units sold a year ago.

Sales of heavy-duty trucks inched up by 1.4% to 70 units in September from 69 units sold last year.

In the first nine months of the year, total vehicle sales slumped by 10.2% to 307,060 units from 341,753 units sold a year ago.

Including other industry data, total vehicle sales reached 40,240 units as of end-September, making it the third-highest monthly sales performance of the year.

For the nine-month period, passenger car sales declined by 9.3% to 62,829, while commercial vehicle sales dropped by 10.9% to 244,231 units.

Sought for comment, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said elevated pump prices continued to weaken vehicle demand.

“The (year-on-year) decline in vehicle sales also weighed by softer employment data in recent months, consistent with slower economic growth,” he said in a Viber message.

“For the coming months, higher fuel prices would still lead to higher sales of electric/hybrid vehicles, motorcycles,” Mr. Ricafort added.

EV SALES
At the same time, CAMPI-TMA data showed xEV sales soared by 300.5% in September to 8,959 units from 2,237 units sold last year.

The segment, which includes battery EV (BEV), plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV), and hybrid EV (HEV), also saw a 26.7% jump in its monthly sales from the 7,073 units sold in August.

In the January-to-September period, xEV sales more than doubled to 54,372 units from 20,676 units sold last year.

HEVs, which accounted for 43.9% of EV sales in September, jumped by 123% to 3,933 units. Year-to-date sales rose by 69.4% to 27,694 units.

Sales of BEVs surged by 711.3% to 2,449 units in September, while PHEV sales skyrocketed by 1,975.5% to 1,951 units.

As of end-September, BEV and PHEV sales went up by 337.7% and 1,492.8% to 16,006 units and 10,672 units, respectively.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. is still the market leader despite the 8.1% decline in sales to 151,457 units as of end-September.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. came in second even after sales dropped by 23.4% to 50,125 units in the nine-month period, followed by Suzuki Phils, Inc. which saw sales slip by 16% to 13,767 units.

Ford Motor Company Phils., Inc. placed fourth even as sales dropped by 35.9% to 10,704 units, followed by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. which saw sales fall by 17% to 10,089 units.