Total sales for D-segment high-riding vehicles in February reached 1,170 units, marking a 54.2% decrease from 2,557 units sold in January, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA) report.

The widespread decline across all models was expected, as February coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday. This period typically sees a slump in Vietnam's vehicle market sales due to reduced consumer purchasing sentiment.

Despite the overall market downturn, the Ford Everest demonstrated its dominance by experiencing the smallest sales drop in the segment, a 46.2% decrease. It delivered 747 new units to Vietnamese customers, compared to 1,390 units sold in January. This performance further widened Everest's lead over its competitors.

In contrast to the Everest's resilience, other competitors registered sales declines exceeding 60%.

The Toyota Fortuner, once a segment icon, recorded the steepest decline, plummeting by 78.1% with only 59 units sold in February compared to 269 units in January.

The Hyundai Santa Fe, a former segment leader, also struggled, seeing a 67.7% drop from January sales to 123 units. The Kia Sorento experienced a 72.4% decrease, with only 29 vehicles delivered to Vietnamese customers.

The Mazda CX-8 mirrored the Everest's trend with a modest 47.9% decrease, selling 199 units and securing second place in the segment. At the bottom of the sales chart, the Isuzu mu-X sold only 13 units, a 56.7% drop from January.

Looking ahead to March, with the holiday period concluded and manufacturers rolling out sales incentives and registration fee promotions, the D-segment high-riding vehicle market is anticipated to rebound. However, the Ford Everest's market dominance is projected to persist.

Luong Dung