Just 1 1/2 years after reentering the Mexican market, Chinese-owned, British-founded automaker MG has reached No. 10 in the rankings for new car sales.
MG sold 12,070 vehicles in Mexico in the first four months of the year, according to the national statistics agency INEGI, a whopping 387.5% increase compared to the same period of 2021.
MG’s growth far exceeds that of the other automakers in the top 10, among which Toyota was the second best performer, lifting sales by 15.3% to 33,181 vehicles.
Nissan ranked first with sales of 59,522 vehicles between January and April followed by General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Kia, Chrysler, Hyundai, Ford and Suzuki.
MG, which relaunched in Mexico in October 2020, is within striking distance of overtaking Ford and Suzuki, trailing both those automakers by fewer than 250 sales in the first four months of the year.
The automotive news website Motor Pasión reported that other car brands have taken decades to reach the top 10 for sales.
Owned by Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC, MG is currently selling five different vehicles in Mexico: three SUVs and two sedans. It initially reentered the Mexican market with just two SUVs, the ZS and the HS, and one sedan, the MG5.
Seeking to explain the success behind MG’s rapid growth, Motor Pasión said those three models are well equipped, have eye-catching designs and are competitively priced.
The automaker, founded in the United Kingdom in the 1920s, later introduced the RX8, its top-of-the-line SUV, and the GT sedan. The starting price for the former is 799,900 pesos (US $40,500) according to the MG México website, while the latter starts at 399,900 pesos (US $20,200).
MG’s cheapest SUV is the ZS, which starts at 342,900 pesos (US $17,300) while the MG5 costs 264,900 pesos (US $13,400).
In addition to competitive prices, Motor Pasión cited a seven-year warranty as well as seven years roadside assistance and maintenance – all of which are included in a vehicle’s price – as reasons for MG’s success in Mexico.
It also noted that the automaker now has 63 dealerships spread across the vast majority of the 32 federal entities, after starting in 2020 with just 17.
Campeche, Baja California Sur and Guerrero are the only states without a dealership, but the company has pledged to operate in all entities by the end of 2022.
MG’s success is also emphasized by its rapid climb up the car sales rankings this year, rising five places after finishing 2021 at No. 15. The company sold 16,358 units last year, giving it a 1.6% share of the new car market. That share is on track to increase significantly in 2022.
With reports from Motor Pasión and AS
