For 7 consecutive years since 2014, Vios had defended it number one position in sales. However, this is not the case for 2021.

A-segment hatchback Vinfast Fadil is the first to dethrone Toyota Vios in 7 years with sales of 24,182 units, accompanied by the second place of Hyundai Accent at 19,956 units. Meanwhile, Vios only came third at 19,931 units sold.

Vios’ journey in Vietnam began in 2003. The model was named by Toyota with the connotation of “forwarding”. Sales growth and the presence of this B-sized car for the general customer became increasingly bold every year.

In the 2000s, when the Vietnamese auto market began to be vibrant but car prices were still much higher than the average income, high-clearance cars, which are capable of carrying many people and multi-purpose were first choices. At the time, owning a personal car was not much of a need. A car that served many people with the same family or in companies and government agencies was of preference. MPV and SUV models such as Toyota Zace, Mitsubishi Zolie, Toyota Innova, and Fortuner became prominent.

After 2010, the market for service cars and taxis was started to become popular. Living standards were also improved. The market saw the increasing popularity of small-sized cars with affordable prices. In 2013, Vios sold 5,140 units, ranked 5th in the top 10 best-selling cars in the market. The four names ranked above Vios were also Toyota cars: Altis, Camry, Innova and the leading model in sales, Fortuner.

The third generation of Vios was launched in Vietnam in 2014 with a sturdy and dynamic shape. This is also the year marking strong growth in sales of Vios. The car rose to the top of the market with 8,067 units sold. Up to now, the 2014 generation of Vios is still considered by many customers to be the most durable and best-looking Vios since its launch.

Thanks to its durability and high liquidity when reselling, Vios is a safe choice for most first-time car buyers. Contracts signed to sell large quantities to traditional taxi businesses also help Toyota’s models roll densely on the streets.

Vios is likened to an ordinary student but always ranks first. Although Toyota does not possess many outstanding advantages compared to its competitors, Toyota knows how to synthesize ordinary values. Vios is one of those rare metaphors that represents the statement: the best car doesn’t mean the best-seller, but if it’s the best-seller, it’s the best car for the masses.

From 2014 to 2020, runner-up position in sales saw the likes of Fortuner, Innova, Ford Ranger, Hyundai i10, Mitsubishi Xpander, Hyundai Accent. All tried to surpass Vios, but none were successful.

Vios set a sales peak in 2020 with the sale of 30,251 vehicles, or an average of 2,500 vehicles per month. This was even higher than some car dealerships in Vietnam. Compared to when it first became the best-seller in 2014, Vios’ sales increased by over 3 times.

2021 is the first time in 7 years that Vios sales have been surpassed, even knocked out of the top 2 positions. Compared to 2020, Vios sales decreased by about 35% in 2021, the year heavily affected by Covid-19.

The impact of supply, competition, and a sharp decrease in the demand for passenger transport services in urban areas caused Vios and many other models to decline in sales. However, the gap of Vios with the second best-selling model, Hyundai Accent was only 25 units.

Compared to the leading model, Fadil, Toyota Vios was only 4,197 units behind. The gap is not large compared to the monthly average of 2,500 units sold in 2020. The decline in sales of Vios is therefore difficult to assess as terrible. But what is more obvious is that the competition in the market is becoming fiercer, and nothing stays constant.

Vios lost the sales position in a positive manner, a good signal for the Japanese brand to evaluate and give timely responses. With big players in the market like Toyota, their transformation is always worth the wait.

Source: vnexpress.net