Toyota ‘Missing’ in Vietnam’s Top 10 Bestselling Cars in February 2024
In Vietnam’s Top 10 Bestselling Cars in February 2024, the most notable is the “disappearance” of the Toyota brand. This is a big surprise as the Japanese automaker usually leads the market and has 2-3 models in the top 10 bestselling cars.
In December 2023, the Toyota Vios ranked number 1 in the overall market, with the Toyota Veloz Cross at number 7, and the Toyota Yaris Cross at number 8 on the bestselling car list. Throughout 2023, the Toyota Vios ranked 5th and the Corolla Cross ranked 8th on the bestselling cars list. In January 2024, the Toyota Vios dropped to number 7. However, in February 2024, for the first time in many years, the Toyota brand did not have any representatives in the top bestselling cars list.
No Toyota cars in the top 10 rankings for February. Data: VAMA, Hyundai. Photo: Dong Su Phap Luat
Within Toyota itself, in February 2024, the Toyota Raize sold 181 units and took the lead in sales. Notably, the iconic “national car” model, the Toyota Vios, which used to dominate the market, only delivered 170 units, a significant decrease of 354 units compared to the previous month, ranking at number 2.
Toyota Vios – the former sales champion. Photo: Toyota Vietnam
The Toyota Vios is considered the “national car” in the Vietnamese market and has consistently been in the top bestselling car list thanks to its affordable price, good resale value, easy maintenance, and availability of spare parts. Despite its current decline, the Vios had a golden year in 2022, ranking in the top 3 bestselling cars in Vietnam.
Toyota Raize: Toyota’s “New Hope”?
In recent years, compact SUVs have been growing in popularity, chosen by many Vietnamese consumers for their reasonable price, practicality, and spaciousness.
Data shows that compact SUVs continue to be a popular choice among Vietnamese consumers, with 7 models in this category making it to the top 10 bestselling cars in 2023.
Toyota Raize is currently the cheapest A-segment SUV on the Vietnamese market. Photo: Toyota Vietnam
Therefore, it is understandable that the popular sedan model Vios had to give up its number one position in sales in Vietnam (considering only Toyota’s “internal” sales) to the Raize. The Raize has a lower price and offers many strengths of compact SUVs, which aligns with the trend of younger customers.
Since its introduction to the Vietnamese market in late 2021, the Raize has proven to be an attractive choice for urban dwellers with a low ownership cost. The Raize stands out with its fully imported status from Indonesia. After adjustments, the current price of the 2024 Toyota Raize is only 498 million VND.
The Toyota Raize has an advantage over competitors as it is fully imported from Indonesia. Photo: Giao Thong Newspaper
In terms of design, the Toyota Raize has a youthful and sharp appearance, with features such as a large grille, 17-inch alloy wheels, shark fin antenna, and dual-tone sporty colors.
This square and modern design follows the recent trend in the automotive industry. The Raize has overall dimensions of 4,030×1,710×1,605 mm, a wheelbase of 2,525 mm, a ground clearance of 200 mm, a minimum turning radius of 5.1 m, an unladen weight of 1,035 kg, and a fuel tank capacity of 36 liters.
Under the hood, the Toyota Raize is powered by a 1-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with a maximum power output of 98 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 140 Nm from 2,400-4,000 rpm. The Raize is equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a fuel consumption rate of 5.6 liters/100 km.
In terms of convenience, the Toyota Raize features a smart push-button start, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster with 4 display modes, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, and automatic air conditioning.
Notable safety features of the Toyota Raize include 6 airbags. It is also equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), vehicle stability control (VSC), traction control (TRC), hill-start assist control (HAC), speed-sensing door lock, blind spot monitor (BSM), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), front/rear parking sensors, and rearview camera.
Photo: Toyota Vietnam
Clearly, the Raize excels in its compact size, urban versatility, good acceleration, and fuel efficiency.
However, remember that the Raize only has a few advantages within Toyota’s “internal” sales! Looking at its competitor, the Kia Sonet, this model is currently in a much higher position, ranking at number 5 in overall February 2024 sales.
Can the Raize surpass it?
