MANILA – Vehicle importers are becoming more optimistic towards the end of the year as sales of outsourced cars increased in September.
The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) on Wednesday reported that sales last month grew 26 percent to 4,946 units from 3,919 units sold in August this year.
This, as the government eased community quarantine restrictions after placing Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine in early August.
Year-to-date sales of the industry group likewise increased by 26 percent to 43,957 units in January to September 2021 from 34,980 unit sales in the same period last year.
“We have weathered the volatile market conditions of the third quarter,” AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said in a statement.
Although sales of passenger cars slipped by 1 percent year-to-date to 11,596 units, this was offset by the light commercial vehicle segment selling a total of 31,444 units in the first nine months of the year.
Commercial vehicle sales also rose 311 percent to 917 units this year from 223 units in 2020.
“With improving health conditions and a more stable outlook, AVID is optimistic and driven to wind up this last quarter on a strong note," Perez-Agudo added.
The local automotive industry aims to sell 295,000 units this year, comprising sales of local assemblers and importers. (PNA)
