Mitsubishi sees sales recovery within 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) is optimistic of a recovery in sales this year as it banks on the strong demand for the Xpander multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and the new Strada pickup truck, along with the rollouts and upgrades of other vehicle models.

“With the strong supply and demand of the Xpander and with the introduction of the new Strada, we look forward to a more progressive year,” MMPC executive vice president Taichi Nakajima said.

Last year, MMPC was the second best-selling automotive brand in the country.

The company sold a total of 67,512 vehicles, down 8.3 percent from 73,590 vehicles in 2017.

MMPC’s sales last year was affected by the weak demand for cars following the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law which imposed higher tax on vehicles.

In addition, the phasing-out of MMPC’s two best-selling models, the Adventure and the L300, have contributed to the decline in sales volume.

While sales were down, MMPC is hopeful of a better performance this year particularly as it expects sustained demand for the Xpander MPV.

Introduced by MMPC in the first quarter last year, the Xpander emerged as the bestselling small MPV for 2018, with a total of 13,502 units sold.

Apart from continued demand for the Xpander, MMPC expects the new Strada to bring in higher sales for the company.

Launched earlier this year, the new Strada which is targeted for customers looking for a vehicle they could use for private and commercial purposes, is seen to further improve the market presence and market share of MMPC in the pickup truck segment.

In addition to the Xpander and Strada, MMPC plans to further strengthen its vehicle offering by introducing model upgrades this year.

MMPC will likewise enhance its after-sales service to provide better customer experience.