Honda CR-V Outperforms Suzuki Ertiga in Hybrid Race

The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) has just announced its sales results for the February car market. With the development of hybrid cars in Vietnam, VAMA has separated the sales of hybrid models from those of traditional fuel-powered vehicles, providing consumers with a clearer view of the domestic “green” car market.

VAMA recorded a total of 205 hybrid models delivered to customers in February. This result was significantly lower than the 781 units achieved in January, equivalent to a decrease of over 73.7%.

Below are the sales figures for hybrid models as recorded by VAMA. Hyundai, BMW, and several other brands did not disclose individual sales figures for hybrid models.

Honda CR-V Leads the Market

Increased sales of 42 units compared to January, coupled with a “loss of steam” by the Suzuki Ertiga, helped the Honda CR-V become the best-selling hybrid model for the month with 77 units. In the first two months of the year, Honda Vietnam (HVN) delivered 112 CR-V HEV units out of a total of 431 CR-V units.

The CR-V is the only model from HVN to offer a hybrid engine option called the e:HEV RS. The car uses a 2.0L petrol engine in combination with an electric motor, producing a total output of 204 horsepower. The combined fuel consumption is stated to be 5.2 l/100 km.

The Honda CR-V e:HEV RS saw a sales increase in February.

Aside from the difference in powertrain, the CR-V hybrid is also the only variant to be imported from Thailand instead of being assembled domestically. The interior space also only has 2 rows of seats instead of 3, a change that helps the car maintain a reasonable weight despite the addition of a battery pack under the floor.

This 5-seater SUV has a starting price of 1,259 billion VND, a figure that clearly fails to appeal to consumers, especially during the current economic climate. This is also evident in the sales gap of nearly 320 units between the gasoline-powered CR-V and the CR-V hybrid.

Suzuki Ertiga Takes Second Place

After an impressive start with sales of over 400 units in January, the Suzuki Ertiga has faltered with sales of only 38 units in February. With a decrease of 427 units compared to the previous month, equivalent to nearly 92%, the Suzuki Ertiga has been forced to surrender its top spot to the Honda CR-V.

In the Vietnamese market, the Suzuki Ertiga is one of the few models to offer only a hybrid engine. Most other models treat hybrid engines as an optional version alongside traditional internal combustion engine variants.

The Suzuki Ertiga’s sales in February dropped by 92% compared to January.

The heart of the Ertiga is a 1.5L petrol engine combined with an integrated starter generator. The hybrid technology on the Ertiga is a mild hybrid system, with the starter generator only providing assistance for a maximum of about 30 seconds, helping the car to overcome slopes or accelerate under heavy loads more easily.

Currently, the Suzuki Ertiga is sold in two versions, MT and AT, with the Sport version introduced at the launch 1.5 years ago having been quietly phased out. The MPV now has a starting price of 538 million VND for the MT version, while the AT version is priced at 608 million VND.

Toyota’s Hybrid Product Line-up Fails to Impress

Toyota is the brand with the largest number of hybrid vehicles in the Vietnamese market, with a total of 6 products. In February, Toyota reported sales of 89 hybrid vehicles, a rather modest figure that accounted for only over 2.5% of the 3,456 Toyota vehicles sold.

Except for the Alphard and the Corolla Cross, all other Toyota hybrid models recorded decreases of 7-52 units compared to January. This is not surprising, as it is the general trend of the entire market recorded in February.

The Yaris Cross is the best-selling hybrid model for Toyota Vietnam.

The Yaris Cross was the best-selling hybrid model for Toyota with 28 units sold, followed closely by the Innova Cross MPV with 24 units. The sedan duo Camry and Altis both reached 14 units. Notably, the Corolla Cross, a model that pioneered the hybrid market in Vietnam, sold a mere 7 units, a 50% decrease compared to January.

In contrast to the majority, the Alphard luxury MPV recorded sales of 2 units for the hybrid version, while in the previous month Toyota Vietnam did not sell any units. The low sales volume is quite common for the Alphard as it is not a choice for the majority of customers, but rather a product aimed at customers in the passenger transport and high-end hotel businesses.

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