01 February 2007
ISUZU GROWTH DUE TO STRONG PRODUCT, NETWORK
Kyoya Kondo, Managing Director & CEO of Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd speaking at the business briefing.
A good product and a strong dealership network have been the key contributing factors to Isuzu Malaysia claiming the 2nd spot in the pick-up market for Sabah and Sarawak and claiming 13.7% of the market share with the Isuzu D-Max in 2006.
Top selling variants of the D-Max were the 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre manual versions with 780 and 704 units sold respectively, representing 76.6% of its sales. These two models are widely acknowledged as the most fuel efficient vehicles in the market having been proven last year in a drive of over 1,200km from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu using less than one tank of diesel.
What makes Isuzu Malaysia’s achievement more significant is the fact that its sales performance grew despite the sluggish market sentiment that saw an 11.1% contraction in the total industry volume (TIV). The company also managed to increase its market share in the overall Malaysian pick-up market from 3.2% to 9.2%, the biggest climber in the market segment in 2006.
“Key to the Isuzu D-Max’s sales growth has been its impressive core features that include its fuel efficiency, durability, comfort, good looks and performance,” said Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s CEO Kyoya Kondo at a business briefing here today.
“By offering our customers an excellent product that represents value for money at a time when consumers are concerned with a higher cost of living has played a significant role in our performance last year,” he added.
Another significant contributor to the success of the D-Max is also the fact that Isuzu Malaysia has appointed a strong sales and service network in key market centres throughout the country with the addition of 14 new dealer outlets in 2006 bringing the total to 26 and they have contributed significantly towards the rising confidence of customers towards the brand.