The Thai pick-up truck market declined 23.2% to 25,260 units in June compared with 32,904 units a year earlier, according to data released by Toyota Motor Thailand – the country’s dominant automotive company.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The sharp drop in June eroded gains made earlier in the year, with first-half sales declining by 0.73% to 181,191 units – including pick-up truck-derived passenger vehicles (PPVs). On average, pick-up trucks account for roughly two thirds of total vehicle sales in Thailand.
Toyota cited a sharp rise in fuel prices, particularly diesel which now costs around THB45 per litre (US$1.34), as one of the main reasons for declining pick-up truck purchases. The company suggests that buyers are turning increasingly towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, including the growing range of biofuel-compatible models.
Toyota sold 11,589 pick-up trucks in June, down by 25.9% compared with 15,643 units sold a year earlier. Isuzu sales fell by 4.3% to 9,669 units, from 10,096 units; and Mitsubishi by 34% to 1,333 units, from 2,021 units a year earlier.
In the first six months of the year, Toyota sold 74,569 pick-up-based vehicles, followed by Isuzu with 67,445 units; Nissan 13,856; Mitsubishi 11,908; Chevrolet 5,379; Mazda 4,422; and Ford with 4,270 units. India’s Tata Motors, which began selling pickup trucks in May, has sold 42 units year-to-date.
Tony Pugliese
