San Juan, – The sale of new cars in Puerto Rico last March increased by 16% in relation to the same period of 2018, according to a statement released today in the United Automobile Importers Group (GUIA), an organization that It represents the automotive industry on the island.
The statement indicates that the month of March ended with a total of 9,309 units sold in Puerto Rico, compared to 8,026 a year ago.
The increase in March, added to those of January and February, represents an increase of 11.6% so far this year.
The fastest growing segment for the month of March was the SUV (SUV) with a rise of 24.8%, followed by the Mini-Compact segment with an increase of 20.2%.
In addition, there was an increase in sales of pick-ups of 19.8%, which contributed to the growth of the month.
“We see how the trend in the market towards SUVs continues favorably, it is a trend similar to what happens worldwide, however, of the nine segments that the industry is divided, only four have increased so far this year. ” indicated Ricardo García, president of GUIA.
“We also note the rebound in fleet sales at a 21.2% increase for the month, which is good news for the economy if the fleet companies forecast a greater movement of tourism for the country and prepare with more inventory. In addition, more than a decade ago we do not see figures of over 9,000 units for a month of March, “he said.
“The preoccupation with looking ahead is whether we will receive the federal aid for the reconstruction that has been assigned to us, and we urge the government to continue making efforts to achieve them.” A business environment of greater certainty means that local private companies continue to invest and working for the country, “he concluded.
GUIA is an independent, non-profit organization that was created in 2006 to address issues directly related to the automotive industry, as well as issues related to the general economy of Puerto Rico.
The GUIA members represent 23 car brands and over 96% of the total sales of new vehicles in Puerto Rico (EFEUSA).
