December 2023 C-segment SUV Sales: Honda CR-V Leads in Strong Growth, Hyundai Tucson Declines

It’s no surprise that the Vietnamese car market is booming in the last month of 2023. This is the month of Tết, the busiest shopping period for Vietnamese people. Just like many other car segments, the compact SUVs also had a successful month, except for the Hyundai Tucson.

Table of compact SUVs sales in December 2023 (unit: vehicles)

Mazda CX-5: 2,050 units

In December 2023, the popular compact SUV Mazda CX-5 continued to achieve success with sales of 2,050 units, a growth of 18.7% compared to the previous month. Thanks to this, the Japanese model maintained its position as the number 1 in the compact SUV segment.

With a total of 16,808 units sold in 2023, Vietnamese customers bought 32.3% more Mazda CX-5s than in 2022, despite the impact of the economic downturn. With this result, the Mazda CX-5 ranked as the third best-selling car in the market, only behind the Mitsubishi Xpander and Hyundai Accent.

The success of the Mazda CX-5 in 2023 can be attributed to the mid-life facelift in July. In the facelift version, the car underwent slight changes in design and equipment but had particularly attractive prices, starting from 749 million VND at that time. Currently, the price has slightly increased, ranging from 759 to 999 million VND.

Ford Territory: 1,148 units

Similar to its competitor Mazda CX-5, the American model Ford Territory also experienced growth in December 2023. Specifically, this model achieved sales of 1,148 units, a slight increase of 7.69%. This brought the Ford Territory’s total sales in 2023 to 8,096 units, securing the second position in the compact SUV segment.

In December 2023, Ford implemented a program to support 100% of the registration fee for customers purchasing the Territory. Combined with the government’s incentives for locally manufactured and assembled cars, the car was supported up to 150% of the registration fee, equivalent to a value of 123 to 143 million VND, depending on the version. This promotion helped Ford Territory thrive in the last month of the previous year.

Hyundai Tucson: 1,147 units

The Hyundai Tucson is the only model in the compact SUV segment that experienced a decrease in sales in December 2023. This model sold only 1,147 units, a decrease of 2.5% compared to November 2023. Compared to its competitor, the Ford Territory, the Hyundai Tucson had sales that were only 1 unit lower and stood in third place in the segment.

It’s no surprise that the Hyundai Tucson declined last month. The reason is that the selling price of this car was adjusted to an increase of 799 to 959 million VND in December 2023. The previous price of the car ranged from 769 to 899 million VND.

In total, the Hyundai Tucson sold 6,164 units for the brand in 2023. With this result, the Tucson became the fourth best-selling car for the Hyundai brand in Vietnam last year.

Honda CR-V: 1,009 units

When it comes to the fastest-growing model in the compact SUV segment in December 2023, the Honda CR-V must be mentioned. In the past month, this Japanese model recorded sales of 1,009 units, an impressive growth of 87.1%. Accumulated from the beginning of the year until now, Honda CR-V sold 5,758 units, ranking fourth in the compact SUV segment.

The sales of Honda CR-V are quite impressive because this model has the highest price in the compact SUV segment, ranging from 1.199 to 1.31 billion VND for 4 versions. In return for the high price is comprehensive upgrades in terms of design, equipment, safety, and engine. In addition, Honda CR-V is currently one of the few compact SUV models in Vietnam that has a hybrid engine, alongside the Haval H6.

Mitsubishi Outlander: 401 units

Growth is also the keyword for the Mitsubishi Outlander, as this model achieved sales of 401 units. Compared to November 2023, the sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander increased by 18.2%. As a result, the total sales of this Japanese model in 2023 reached 2,499 units.

In the compact SUV segment, the Mitsubishi Outlander is a model that has not been upgraded in terms of design or features for a long time. In addition, the comfort and safety features of this model are also inferior to its competitors in the same segment. Therefore, it is not surprising that this model does not have high sales. The driving force behind the growth of the Outlander is probably the 100% registration fee support program from Mitsubishi in December 2023.

Kia Sportage: 262 units

The last model in the compact SUV segment is the Kia Sportage, the sibling of the Hyundai Tucson. This model achieved sales of 262 units in December 2023, an increase of 31%. The total sales in 2023 reached 2,347 units, still ranking last in the segment.

The design that does not suit the taste of many Vietnamese people and the not-so-attractive price may be part of the reason why the Kia Sportage is not popular. Currently, this model has prices ranging from 799 million to 1.019 billion VND. In return, the Kia Sportage offers a wide range of versions and engines, providing more choices for Vietnamese customers.