Best January recorded in 10 years but not quite at 2008 level
The return to form for commercial vehicle sales continues with last month’s 2,227 units a decade high for January and just 20 units short of 2008’s figure.
This time last year, January’s total was significantly shy of the 2,000 mark at 1,920, according to Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures.
And some lower profile names have seen demand lift.
This time last year, Dennis Eagle had only four units to its name, a figure it also recorded in November.
But last month, it added 19 to its name on top of the 12 it gained in December.
Coming off a similarly low base and still feeling its way is new kid on the block Hyundai with six in January.
At the other end of the scale totally was Hino’s 50 per cent rise on last January, from 211 to 314, along with that Iveco’s big push, from 68 to 119, MAN’s startling jump from 41 to 109, not to mention Kenworth’s outstanding leap from 61 to 163.
For many of these, the figures signal momentum continuing from the end of last year.
In the heavy duty segment, the 756 January total looks huge against last year’s extremely sluggish start of 479 and is still quite shy of 2008’s 814.
The medium duty segment, while up on recent Januarys at 437, is still well shy of 2008’s 744.
Here, Isuzu took a rare hit, down from last January’s 167 to 131, with MAN’s march marked by a jump from one unit last January to 83 last month.
Normal Isuzu service resumed in the light-duty segment, with last year’s 232 up to 242 and Hino on a tear from 94 to 158.
On the vans side, Renault’s hot run has subsided somewhat, continuing a slide evident in November and December and, at 84, is a shadow of the 257 units that went a year before.
Against that, Mercedes-Benz has been unable take full advantage, rising 111 to 166, while underperformer Ford battled back a bit, from 44 to 66.