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Sedans are still NMI’s top sellers
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Posted on Feb 21 2005
While sports utility vehicles are typically dubbed as a favorite on these paradisiacal islands, sales statistics released by the Commonwealth Auto Dealer’s Association showed that the more affordable sedans remain the top-selling units in the Northern Marianas in January 2005.
Auto dealers sold a total of 81 cars last month. SUVs ranked second, with sales reaching 37. Auto dealers also sold 17 trucks and 14 vans last month.
The combined sales of Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, and Mazda Tribute, among other SUVs, failed to overtake sales of sedans such as Toyota’s Corolla and Echo, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra and Mazda3.
Sales of Toyota’s Corolla and Echo tallied 26 and 21, respectively, significantly pushing up Toyota’s sales to 77. Toyota’s leadership in sales—plus Chevrolet’s sales of four—maintained Microl Corp.’s top post in the industry by getting 54.36-percent of the market.
Triple J Motors and Joeten Motors recorded sales at 37 and 31, respectively, for market shares of 24.83 and 20.81 percent.
Nissan became last month’s second top-selling brand, with Joeten closing 19 sales deals on top of nine and three others for Ford and Honda.
Triple J’s Hyundai sold 15 units last month, while Mitsubishi and Mazda followed closely with 11 and 10 units, respectively. The auto dealer also sold one Subaru sports utility vehicle last month.
The CNMI’s auto dealers took off with a good start last month, recording improved sales by 17.32-percent compared with their January 2004 performance. The CADA recorded January 2005’s sales at 149, improving from January 2004’s sales of 127 vehicles.
The sales performance last month sustains the 27-percent growth in sales that local auto dealers posted in 2004 by selling a total of 1,612 vehicles.
