Bangkok--25 Apr--Mazda Sales
Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co. Ltd. has announced Q1 sales figures of 10,904 vehicles, representing a growth of 36 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. March sales grew by 50 per cent compared to the same month in 2015. Meanwhile, the new CX-5 crossover created history with 357 orders in March. Mazda plans to raise the capabilities of its after-sales further this year in order to truly become a premium brand for new vehicle retail, service and parts inventory.
Mr. Hidesuke Takesue, President of Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co. Ltd., said the auto market during the first quarter of this year was hit by the ripples of the economic slowdown that occurred since last year. "This has made the consumers more careful in spending and stick to necessities. Although there are currently no positive factors to help support the economy, the scenario for the auto market is brighter as more than 32,000 orders were placed at the recent Bangkok Motor Show. This is a good sign for the general automobile market in Thailand," he said. As for Mazda, sales went against the market decline with 10,904 units sold during Q1, up 36 per cent compared to the same period last year (7,995 units), holding No.3 in passenger car market share, which is a tremendous success.
In March, Mazda sold a total of 3,871 vehicles, up 50 per cent compared to March 2015. The top-selling model was the Mazda2 with 1,982 units, posing a huge growth of 99 per cent in a time when the small car and eco car market is facing decline. The Mazda2 has a 12.5 per cent share in this market. The new Mazda CX-5 sports SUV that was just launched in February received warm welcome with 357 orders being placed in March, up 34 per cent. The CX-3 compact crossover is also maintaining pace with increasing monthly sales since it was officially launched at the end of 2015. Presently more than 3,000 orders have been sold.
Mr. Takesue added, "Sales of Mazda vehicles have been particularly strong since last year although the economy isn't very promising. This shows that Mazda vehicles are always in demand by the customer and the increasing monthly sales also show that Mazda will have to compete very hard against ourselves. Our determination in developing products to suit the requirements of every customer group has resulted in the development of the SKYACTIV technology that offers both excellent performance and fuel economy, as well as the amazing KODO design that has attracted more customers for the Mazda brand. This year Mazda will concentrate on developing integrated after-sales service, facilities, personnel and parts inventory in order to cater to the rising number of Mazda vehicles on the road after introduction of SKYACTIV."
Marketing Director Thee Permpongpanth added that the Q1 success for Mazda shows that the SKYACTIV technology answers to the requirements of all customer groups. "This is a technology that is suitable to all types of motoring, offering outstanding performance as well as fuel economy in real-world driving in Thailand. The success is also due to the suitable positioning for each customer group and right pricing policy that is not oriented towards sales promotions or campaigns to attract customers, but allowing the product to sell through quality. This has made Mazda a brand that customers are impressed with and prefer when visiting a car showroom," he said.
"Presently Mazda offers SJYACTIV technology in all segments to form a 'SKYACTIV Society' that offers everyone the joy of driving a high-performance vehicle from the Mazda lineup. We will be nurturing this Mazda community in order to create exchange of information between each other and to help achieve the highest customer satisfaction as possible," he added.
According to Thee, Mazda is confident of continued sales success due to the outstanding 3,557 orders placed by customers at the Bangkok Motor Show in March, with customer deliveries taking place in April and May.