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Commercial vehicle sales now echoing 2016

March figures show updated ranges give makes a cushion in softer market

 

Welcome to2016 – by which we mean the commercial vehicles sales figures have now sunk back to around that level after peaking in 2018.

As the first calendar quarter passes, sales of commercial vehicle units for March are at 2,605 and the year-to-date (YTD) total comes in at 6,905, according to Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures.

Compare that with 2016, with March at 2,669 and the quarter at 6,775 and the dynamics point to a market cooling that could gain pace.  

The top three manufacturer totals tell a very slightly different story for the quarter, with market leader Isuzu at 1,714 compared with 2016’s 1,673, Hino at 996 (888) and Fuso 662 (734).

Heavy Duty

The four-year comparison is less stark in the heavy-duty segment, with 852/2,220 looking good against 2016’s 796/1,905.

But it gets a little messy as we drill down.

Kenworth, at 160/398 and 157/400, keeps it nose in front of Volvo’s 150/372 and 132/314.

Isuzu does the same for the followers, 98/301 and 96/225 against Mercedes-Benz’s 84/172 and 51/110 – which also indicates the big German is doing pretty well under the circumstances out of its recently revamped prime mover.

The Benz experience has an echo with Scania (61/210 and 36/67), which is shading Mack (69/152 and 65/152).

Mack might rue the timing of the new Anthem at this troubled juncture, as might Western Star (19/43 and 40/102) of its upgrade, as Hino (44/103 and 27/59) and DAF (42/97 and 27/59) weather the cooling more easily.

Medium Duty

The comparison with four years ago holds consistently for medium-duty trucks, with totals are 526/1,436 and 530/1,372.

Isuzu (210/580 and 207/562) holds its own on top as usual, as do place-getters Hino (192/465 and 156/397), fighting much harder now for segment market share, and Fuso (83/218 and 80/210).


Read how the market was behaving in February, here


But while MAN looks to be just going (20/90 and 5/15), the rest are struggling, though it should be pointed out that Scania, at three units for the month, is making its first sales in this segment.

Light Duty

A similar picture for the light-duty segment as for medium duty for the top three makes but the totals are down – 811/2,067 and 909/2,178.

The segment’s recent softness is on display after being the wonder of the previous decade.

Isuzu (322/833) is around 10 per cent for the month on 2016’s 361/886, as is Hino (178/428 and 194).

But Fuso looks to be languishing at 135/361 and 190/432.

 

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