Iranian auto market in 2020 increases sales by 8.7% despite the pandemic affecting the world markets. Full-Year sales have been 816.497, while the local brand Iran Khodro impresses by growing 134.2% and gaining 13.2% share.
Economic Environment
The economic panorama remained dire in recent months amid the twin impact of U.S sanctions and the third wave of coronavirus infections in the country. On 29 October, the U.S. unveiled further sanctions on petrochemical sales, adding more pressure to the embattled oil sector: Output stagnated in Q3, remaining at July’s record low level through August and September.
Moreover, also on 29 October, the U.S. announced it had sold 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum that were seized en route to Venezuela, denying the Iranian government much-needed revenues with the proceeds channeled towards U.S. domestic causes.
Meanwhile, a rapid increase in daily cases at the outset of Q4 has necessitated a tightening of restrictions, including the closing of the border with Iraq and the closure of schools and universities, which bodes ill for activity.
Market Trend
The Iranian car market grew in 2020 despite the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted sales significantly.
Following the recovery reported between 2014 and 2017, when sales doubled at 1.3 million annual units since 2018 the market approached a new declining pathway.
According to data released by the Iranian National Bureau of Statistics, in 2018 light vehicle sales (local production plus import) were 1.194.505, with a drop of 23.1%, and the trend further deteriorated in 2019, when all imports stopped.
In 2019 the market registered a huge sales drop. Indeed, the market fell, registering 750.867 units, down 37.1%.
Indeed, Full-Year sales for 2020 have been 816.497, reporting a 8.7% increase in sales compared to 2019.
Brand-wise, this year the leader Peugeot (+16.8%) gained 2.4% market share, followed by Saipa (-23%), which lost 12.7% share. Iran Khodro gained 13.2% share, reporting the best performance in the leaderboard by increasing sales by 134.2%. Zamyad remained in 4th place (+50.1%), followed by Renault which lost 14.8%.
Jianghuai -down 1 spot- lost 62.7% and therefore reported the worst performance, followed by Haima (-25.1%) and ChangAn which lost 1 spot and fell 38.9%. Closing the leaderboard we have Brilliance -up 1 spot- losing 26.8% this year overtaking Kia which lost 60.7%.
The most sold vehicle this year has been the Iran Khodro Samand (+126.6%) with 107.987 units sold, followed by the Peugeot Pars, which gained 27.6% registering 91.045 new sales this year. The Peugeot 206 sedan (+45.8%) closes the podium and reports 85.360 new units sold.
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for Top 10 Brands and Top 10 Models.
