Over the last few weeks we have visited Bangladesh, Venezuela, the USA in 1986 and Cambodia. May I interest you in a little trip back to the Americas this week to Panama?
No? OK fine, if you don’t want to go there, I’ve prepared 155 other countries for you to visit in my blog, and I can tell you it is muy bien, so click away!
The interesting thing about car sales in Panama is the way Hyundai is progressively establishing itself as the ‘go-to’ brand there, with 3 models in the Top 4 so far this year…
But first to the pole position: as it was the case in 2010, the Toyota Hilux is the best-selling model in Panama over the first 8 months of 2011 with 1,981 sales.
You may be surprised to learn that Panama is only one of 28 countries in the world where the Hilux is atop the ranking… Yes 28! No other car does better, and you can see the full list here.
Weekly bit of trivia: tick!
Below the Toyota Hilux is a full Hyundai armada:
The new generation Hyundai Accent is #2 with 1,733 sales, it was even #1 between May and July!
Down from #2 in 2010, the Hyundai Tucson IX (aka Hyundai ix35) ranks #3 in the 2011 year-to-date ranking at 1,632 units…
… and the new generation Hyundai Elantra is #4 with 1,098 sales but is up to #2 in August at 256 units.
As I said earlier, that’s 3 Hyundais in the Top 4 and by far Hyundai’s best year ever in the country. In fact, last October Hyundai sold the biggest amount of cars in a single month by any brand in Panama, with 1,409 models sold.
Further down in the ranking you will find the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Frontier…
…Kia Rio, Nissan Tiida and Nissan Navara.
The best-selling models in Panama over 8 months 2011:
| Pos | Model | 8m 2011 | August | Pos | 2010 | 2010 |
| 1 | Toyota Hilux | 1,981 | 307 | 1 | 2,322 | 1 |
| 2 | Hyundai Accent GL | 1,733 | 92 | 7 | 1,786 | 3 |
| 3 | Hyundai Tucson IX | 1,632 | 204 | 3 | 2,046 | 2 |
| 4 | Hyundai Elantra | 1,098 | 256 | 2 | – | – |
| 5 | Toyota RAV4 | 974 | 110 | 6 | 943 | 9 |
| 6 | Nissan Frontier | 895 | 126 | 4 | 976 | 8 |
| 7 | Kia Rio | 809 | 86 | 8 | – | – |
| 8 | Nissan Tiida | 726 | 110 | 5 | – | |
| 9 | Nissan Navara | 709 | 53 | 11 | 917 | 10 |
| 10 | Kia Sportage | 700 | 80 | 9 | 1,111 | 5 |
| 10 | Honda CR-V | 700 | 56 | 10 | 1,029 | 7 |
Figures are sourced from the Registro Único Vehicular.
Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars, dedicated to counting cars all over the world.
As long as they stay focused on value and quality and not world domination, Hyundai is quickly becoming the new Toyota of the world.
BTW Not one single American car on that list, we just keep losing ground all over the world, except China, of course.
A little late on this, but lovin’ to see the hometown prove me right in my purchase. :)