The April sales report from VAMA (Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association) reveals a clear slowdown in consumer demand across the pickup truck segment.

The segment sold only 1,840 units in April, an 818-unit decrease from 2,658 units in March. This represents a 30,8% decline, bringing the segment's sales back to February levels.

This market downturn directly impacted sales results for most models, creating notable performance differences among competitors.

Ford Ranger, despite dropping below the one thousand-unit mark, maintained its top position. The American brand's pickup was hit hardest in terms of volume in April, selling 933 units, a decrease of 516 units from 1,449 units in March. Despite a monthly sales dip below one thousand units and a more than 35% reduction, the Ranger held steady as the segment's number one. For the first four months of 2025, the Ranger delivered 5,045 units, capturing over 56,8% of the total segment market share.

Toyota Hilux was the only model to defy the trend. The Hilux recorded positive growth in April, delivering 684 units, a slight increase of 34 units compared to March. This consistent performance helped the Hilux significantly narrow the gap with the Ranger in April, boosting its cumulative sales for 2026 to 2,333 units and solidifying its second-place position.

After three months of strong recovery, Mitsubishi Triton saw a sharp decline. The Triton delivered only 212 units in April, less than half of the 467 units from the previous month. This inconsistency has hindered the Triton's progress, with its current cumulative sales at 1,184 units.

Toyota Hilux saw positive growth in April, bucking the market trend. Photo: Luong Dung

Isuzu D-Max's situation remains challenging, with only 11 units delivered in April, a concerning figure compared to 92 units in March. With sales numbers so low, the D-Max continues to rank at the bottom, achieving a modest cumulative sales of 317 units after four months.

April proved a challenging month for the pickup truck segment due to a significant drop in overall purchasing power. While the Ranger still dominates, its slowdown created an opportunity for the Hilux to close the gap, establishing itself as a resilient and stable force. Given the current economic climate, automakers, especially Mitsubishi and Isuzu, will need to quickly launch sales promotion programs to avoid falling further behind in the second quarter's sales race.

The Nissan Navara is also present in Vietnam's pickup segment, but Nissan does not disclose its monthly sales figures.

Luong Dung