The Argentine automotive market closed a year with positive numbers compared to 2022, but with a downward trend that somewhat anticipates how different 2024 may be.
The end of 2023 confirmed several trends that were presented throughout the year: sales showed great superiority of nationally produced vehicles, Toyota was once again the brand with the most patents and the Fiat Cronos It was once again crowned as the car most chosen by Argentines.
Although December is the month with the least volume of registrations throughout the year, this time the deceleration was marked and warns of the drop in 0 km sales with which this new year will start.
During December 2023, registrations of 0 km vehicles reached 18,498 unitswhich shows a year-on-year decrease of 6.2% since in December 2022, 19,711 vehicles had been registered.
The drop compared to November
The Association of Automotive Dealers of the Argentine Republic (ACARA) indicated that the comparison with November showed a abrupt drop of 48.6%since in that month there were 35,981 patents.
In this way, throughout the year they patented 449,438 unitswhich represented a 10.2% more than in 2022 (407,875 vehicles).
Sebastián Beato, president of ACARA, highlighted: “After a great effort by dealerships, factories, auto parts and the union, we have completed the year with figures more than acceptableespecially if we take into account the multiplicity of factors that influence our activity, such as electoral and exchange issues that had a great role during 2023.”
The manager added that although in the coming weeks they will be attentive to the evolution of the market to have a more precise panorama, “it is evident that we will have an activity with a tendency to slow down, That’s why we corrected the projections we had.”
From the sector they reported that by 2024 they foresee a market of 340,000 patents although they may also have to adjust that number downwards again in the coming months.
In 2023 a phenomenon occurred that will hardly be repeated this year: nine of the 10 best-selling vehicles are domestically produced; historical brand.
However, the more flexible import regime forecast for this year will greatly expand the supply – especially of Brazilian models -, leveling the balance between domestic and imported models. Although what will end up defining everything will be the prices.
Toyota Hilux and Fiat Cronos, both models are manufactured in Argentina.King Cronus and Queen Hilux
The Fiat Cronos, the compact sedan manufactured at the Ferreyra plant in Córdoba, established itself as the best-selling vehicle in the local market for the third consecutive year.
Despite having placed fourth in the December ranking (1,109 units), the Cronos ended the year with a total of 47,580 patents and a market share of 11.2%.
In this way, the model managed to grow by 22.7% compared to 2022, when it obtained 38,774 patents and a penetration of 10.2%.
In turn, second place in the general ranking went to the Peugeot 208 (36,454 units). The model produced at the El Palomar factory in Buenos Aires finished sixth in December, with 961 patents.
The Peugeot 208 finished second in the overall ranking. On the other hand, after a war without truce, the Toyota Hilux It was once again proclaimed as the best-selling truck on the market.
The pickup manufactured at the Zárate plant, province of Buenos Aires, retained for nineteenth consecutive year the title achieved in 2005, leaving another model made in Argentina in second place: Volkswagen Amarok.
With 2,331 patented units, Hilux was the best-selling model in Argentina during December, while the Amarok was second with 1,702 patents. Third place, for its part, also went to another Argentine pickup: the Ford Ranger (1,121).
In the general ranking, Hilux finished third -behind the Peugeot 208- with 30,694 patented units, while Amarok and Ranger were placed in fourth and fifth place respectively.
The 10 best-selling 0 km models of December
- Toyota Hilux: 2.331
- VW Amarok: 1.702
- Ford Ranger: 1.121
- Fiat Cronos: 1,109
- Renault Kangoo II: 981
- Peugeot 208: 961
- VW Taos: 749
- Nissan Frontier: 625
- Chevrolet Tracker: 540
- Toyota Etios: 507
The 10 best-selling 0 km models of 2023
- Fiat Cronos: 47,580
- Peugeot 208: 36454
- Toyota Hilux: 30.694
- VW Amarok: 29.782
- Ford Ranger: 24.241
- Toyota Etios: 23,784
- Renault Kangoo II: 18,072
- Nissan Frontier: 12.714
- Chevrolet Tracker: 12.363
- VW Taos: 11,451
The 10 brands that sold the most in 2024
- Toyota: 93.571
- Volkswagen: 56.589
- Fiat: 55.552
- Renault: 51.757
- Peugeot: 41.891
- Ford: 37.543
- Chevrolet: 30.617
- Nissan: 19.465
- Citroën: 12.251
- Jeep: 8.965
