Truck Sales in December 2023: Ford Ranger Dominates, Toyota Hilux Struggles

The Vietnamese automobile market has been booming in the last month of 2023 due to the buying psychology of people for the Lunar New Year. As a result, the pickup truck segment also experienced strong growth in terms of sales, except for the Toyota Hilux.

Pickup Truck Sales in December 2023 (unit: vehicles)

Ford Ranger: 1,912 vehicles

The pickup truck segment in December 2023 continued to be divided into the Ford Ranger and the rest. In the past month, this American pickup truck model achieved a sales volume of up to 1,912 vehicles, a growth of 30.6%. As a result, the Ford Ranger not only leads the segment but also ranks among the top 10 best-selling vehicles in the overall market.

Throughout the year 2023, Ford sold a total of 16,085 Ranger vehicles to Vietnamese customers, a slight decrease of 2.3% compared to 2022. Therefore, the Ford Ranger continues to maintain its dominance in the pickup truck segment. At the same time, it is also the fourth best-selling vehicle in the overall market in 2023.

The attractiveness of the Ford Ranger comes from its beautiful exterior and rich amenities and safety features. In addition, this pickup truck model offers up to 8 variants with prices ranging from 669 million to 1.299 billion dong, providing customers with many options.

Mitsubishi Triton: 332 vehicles

Similar to the Ford Ranger, the Mitsubishi Triton also had a successful month in terms of sales with an increase of 50.9% to 332 vehicles. The sales volume of this Japanese pickup truck model is quite modest compared to the Ford Ranger, even less than the odd number of its competitor. However, the vehicle still maintains its position as the second best-selling pickup truck in terms of sales.

The accumulated sales volume throughout 2023 for the Mitsubishi Triton reached 2,572 vehicles, a decrease of 46.2% compared to 2022 due to the overall market decline. With these results, the Mitsubishi Triton once again becomes the second best-selling pickup truck in the Vietnamese market.

The Mitsubishi Triton features an attractive design with adequate features such as LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch wheels, steering wheel with paddle shifters, analog instrument cluster combined with a small infotainment screen, 6.85-inch center touchscreen, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, and rear air vents/cup holders.

The price of the Mitsubishi Triton currently ranges from 650 to 905 million dong.

Mazda BT-50: 62 vehicles

Like the previous months, the Mazda BT-50 continues to occupy the third position in the pickup truck segment with a sales volume of 62 vehicles, an increase of 12.7%. It seems that the adjusted selling price of the Mazda BT-50 in December 2023 did not contribute much to the sales volume of this model.

The accumulated sales volume throughout 2023 for the Mazda BT-50 is relatively low, reaching 812 vehicles. However, compared to 2022, this model has grown by 6.9%.

At the end of 2023, THACO, the distributor, adjusted the selling prices of a range of Mazda models in Vietnam, including the BT-50 pickup truck. Accordingly, the new selling prices for this pickup truck model are 554 million dong for the MT 4×2 version and 614 million dong for the AT 4×2 version. Compared to the previous selling prices, this pickup truck model is now 30 million dong cheaper.

With the mentioned selling prices, the Mazda BT-50 is currently one of the most affordable pickup truck models in the Vietnamese market. However, despite its affordability, this model does not attract customers, partly due to its design being evaluated as less masculine.

Isuzu D-Max: 47 vehicles

The fourth position in the pickup truck segment in December 2023 still belongs to the Isuzu D-Max with a sales volume of 47 vehicles, an increase of 74%. In terms of growth rate, the Isuzu D-Max is the leading model in the segment. Unfortunately, due to the low sales volume, it still lags behind its competitors. In the whole year 2023, only 519 Isuzu D-Max vehicles were sold to Vietnamese customers, a decrease of 31.4% compared to 2022.

Similar to the Mazda BT-50, the Isuzu D-Max offers a competitive price range in the segment, ranging from 665 to 880 million dong for 3 variants. However, this Japanese model is not popular among customers in Vietnam due to its design not being appealing to Vietnamese tastes. For those who appreciate practicality and primarily transport cargo, the Isuzu D-Max is still a decent choice.

Another common point between the Isuzu D-Max and the Mazda BT-50 is the engine. Both pickup truck models use a 1.9L 4-cylinder diesel engine, producing a maximum power of 150 horsepower and a maximum torque of 350 Nm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 1 or 2-wheel drive system.

Toyota Hilux: 7 vehicles

Unlike the above 4 competitors, the Toyota Hilux experienced a decrease in sales volume in December 2023. Specifically, the vehicle achieved a sales volume of 7 vehicles, a decrease of 22.2%. This number brings the accumulated sales volume in 2023 for the Toyota member to 134 vehicles. With these results, the Toyota Hilux not only sells the least in the pickup truck segment but also appears in the list of the least popular vehicles in Vietnam in 2023.

Despite the advantage of brand reputation, the Toyota Hilux does not convince Vietnamese customers due to its high price, limited variants, and basic features. Currently, the vehicle has only one variant, which is the 2.4 4×2 AT with a selling price of up to 852 million dong. This is not to mention that in 2023, the Toyota Hilux hardly had any official promotions, despite not being eligible for the 50% reduction in registration fees by the government as it is a fully imported vehicle from Thailand.