The Automotive Marketing Information Council (AMIC)’s October report showed that Chevrolet continued its lead in selling rates in the Egyptian car market from January until the end of September 2017.

The American carmaker occupied 22.3% of sales, at 21,468 cars, despite a 34.7% drop in its sales compared to the same period in 2016, when it recorded 32,890 cars.

In the first eight months of this year, the company made 23% of car sales and sold 19,200 cars, compared to 29,500 in 2016.

Nissan came second, with 15,847 vehicles, accounting for 16.5% of total sales during the first nine months of 2017. Hyundai was third with 13,613 vehicles, accounting for 14.1% of total sales for the same period.

Toyota sold 7,930 cars with a market share of 8.2%. Mitsubishi came in fifth place with 4,804 sold units and 5% of the market, followed by Chery in sixth position, with 4,419 cars accounting for 4.6% of car sales.

Renault ranked seventh, selling 4,282 units, accounting for 4.4% of total sales in the Egyptian market during the same period. Kia sold 4,135 units to take eighth place with a 4.3% market share, while Opel sold 3,813 units accounting for 4% of total car sales, coming in ninth place. Meanwhile, Suzuki sold 3,330 units to come in tenth place with 3.5% of total car sales.

Locally assembled passenger vehicle sales dropped by 28.2% to 33,463 cars, compared to 46,588 units in the same period last year, while imported car sales dropped by 43.3% to 36,080 units, versus 63,613 units in the same report last year. Meanwhile, locally assembled buses saw 52.8% fewer sales, at 4,888 buses, compared to 10,349 buses in 2016, while imported buses dropped by 30.6% to 4,833 units, versus 6,968 units in the corresponding period of last year.

Further, sales of locally assembled trucks also dropped by 30.7%, to reach 15,276 units, down from 22,032 units during last year’s corresponding period, while sales of imported trucks fell by 69.4% to record 1,708 units during the first nine months of the year, compared to 5,579 trucks in that period of 2016.

The AMIC report indicated a decline in demand for cars by 30%, recording sales of only 12,361 in September, down from 17,535 in September 2016. The report also showed a decline in demand for passenger cars by 25%, recording sales of 9,615 compared to 12,800 in September 2016.

Sales of buses dropped 53.5% to record 964 sold in September 2017, down from 2,071 units in the same month in 2016. Truck sales also declined by 33.1%, where September saw sales of 1,782, versus 2,664 in September 2016.

AMIC’s report stated that sales dropped since the beginning of the year and until the end of September by 38%, registering sales of 96,248 units in that period, compared to 155,129 units in 2016. Private car sales alone dropped by 37%, registering 69,543 units only, down from 110,201 units in the same period.

Buses saw 44% fewer sales, at 9,721 buses in the first nine months of 2017, compared to 17,317 buses in 2016. Truck sales also dropped by 38%, to reach 16,984 units, down from 27,611 units during the period of comparison.

The report found that demand on locally assembled cars declined by 32.1% to settle at 53,627 units in the first nine months of 2017, compared to 78,969 units in the same period of 2016. Imported cars sales also dropped by 44% to 42,621 units, down from 76,160 in that period of 2016.