Increasing demand for affordable models warms the debate about redeeming the popular car
By Alzira Rodrigues | 5/12/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch
After a long period of growth in the Brazilian market, the SUV segment opened this year losing share. Of the five main automotive categories, the small hatches were the only one to grow in the first four months. The small passenger cars’ share went from 21,4% to 26% regarding last year, while the SUVs fell from 47.2% to 46.6%.
Automobile sales grew 13% in the period, from 410.1 thousand to 464 thousand units. The hatches segment grew by 37.4% from 87.76 thousand to 120.77 thousand units. SUVs’ licensing also grew, but by 11.7%, therefore under the market average increase.
SUV sales went from 193.6 thousand to 216.2 thousand, maintaining market dominance.
Nonetheless, it is important to notice that in Fenabrave’s data this segment is not divided into small, medium and large models, as happens in other categories such as hatches and sedans. The bestselling SUVs in the quadrimester were Jeep Compass, Hyundai Creta and CV T-Cross.
Fenabrave divides the smaller models sold internally as “entry vehicles” and “small hatches”. The first category has recently lost the Gol, replaced by the Polo Track, considered a small hatch, which share reduced from 10.3% to 9.3%.
Adding the figures of the two more affordable segments in Brazil in the first quadrimester, the share jumped from 31.7%, last year, to 35.3%. The result gains importance when the return of the so-called popular car – now called ‘affordable green car’ – is being discussed.
Currently, the entry segment has basically two models: The Fiat Mobi, which sold 19,352 units this year, and the Renault Kwid, with 17,989 cars delivered. The Gol, which still has units to sell in the dealers, reached 5,618 deliveries this year.
The small hatch category is small, but strong. It includes the best-selling cars in Brazil nowadays: Chevrolet Onix (28,902 units), Hyundai HB20 (23,337), Fiat Argo (20,463), VW Polo (20,463) and Toyota Yaris HB (7,482).
The dispute between the first four is fierce. This year, the Polo has stood out in the segment, due to the launch of the more affordable Track version.
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