n 2018, Moroccan automotive sales notably increased. Last year also saw the emergence of hybrid vehicles and the entry of Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus to the Moroccan market.
Rabat – According to the Association of Importers of Vehicles in Morocco car in Morocco (AIVAM), Moroccans bought 177,400 in 2018, compared to 168,136 vehicles in 2017, up by 5 percent.
The Renault group continues to sell the most passenger cars in Morocco, with 44 percent of the sales. Dacia alone accounts for 30 percent of its parent company’s sales, making it the most popular make in Morocco.
The German giant Volkswagen sold the third most cars after Renault, selling 11,810 vehicles, down a fraction of a percent from a year earlier. Peugeot’s sales in 2018 saw a slight increase to 11,316 vehicles, compared to 10,158 in 2017.
Hyundai is ranked fifth, selling 9,882 units. Fiat’s sales grew remarkably by 34 percent, selling 8564 units in 2018, compared to 6,382 in 2017.
Rounding out the top 10 makes were Citroen, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota. Citroen sold 7,483 units, up by 22.5 percent; Ford 7,400, down by 38.8 percent; and Nissan 6,743 vehicles.
Although Toyota does not hold a large market share in Morocco, it made the biggest growth in regular passenger vehicle sales in 2018. Selling 38 percent more cars in 2018 than 2017, Toyota sold 5,108 vehicles, up from 3,699 in 2017.
As for light commercial vehicles (LCV), statistics revealed a moderate incline in sales of 6.8 percent, equivalent to 14,285 units sold in 2018.
Mercedes down, Land Rover up
As for luxury cars, the Germans maintained their leading position, despite recording a slight decrease in Mercedes-Benz sales, selling 3,105 units in 2018 and still leading the luxury car list.
BMW was the second most popular luxury make in Morocco, selling 2,700 vehicles, followed by Audi, which sold 2,572.
The British Land Rover and Jaguar recorded the most impressive growths in luxury car sales. Land Rover recorded a sales growth of 96 percent from 2017, selling 2483 units in 2018. Jaguar’s sales grew 60 percent, selling 466 units in 2018.
Swedish Volvo sales also notably grew by 45 percent, reaching 1,034 vehicles in 2018.
Porsche recorded a slight decline in its sales, selling 162 vehicles in 2018.
Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus made its first appearance in the 2018 auto expo in Casablanca. It sold 69 vehicles in 2018.
Last year’s car sales also showed dramatic increases in hybrid and electric cars. In 2018, Moroccans bought 1,140 hybrid vehicles, compared to 342 in 2017, and 181 units in 2016.
