Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is starting the year on an optimistic note as the company posted record sales milestones in 2016.

IPC ended 2016 by recording its highest monthly result in December, or a total of 2,965 units sold for the month. The company also logged its best annual performance in 2016 with deliveries of 27,361 vehicles, fresh data reported by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) shows.

Sales of Isuzu vehicles in December last year are 25.4 percent higher than the 2,365-unit tally recorded for the same month in 2015, while IPC’s total output for the entire 2016 is a 21.2-percent spike over the 22,581 units the company had sold during the 12 months of 2015.

“Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s record sales performance in 2016 is clearly a benefit coming from a strong domestic economy that inspired consumer confidence and spending. It also mirrors the continued uptick of the entire local automotive industry, which is also enjoying unprecedented results,” said IPC President Hajime Koso.

While the company recorded increases across all its vehicle models, lifting IPC sales last year were those posted by Isuzu trucks and buses, which at 1,716 units registered a significant 219-percent leap over the segment's 2015 tally. Matching this result were deliveries of the Isuzu D-Max pickup. Benefiting from substantial equipment and styling updates in the latter part of 2016, the pickup saw its sales increase 27.3 percent over the previous year, or a total of 3,966 units sold.

“The introduction of changes to models and the sustained promotional and marketing campaigns have all helped in driving customer interest toward the Isuzu brand last year. A strong network of dealerships, as well as excellent after-sales services, also contributed in ensuring that Isuzu was able to maintain its upward trajectory,” Koso said.

IPC’s best-selling model in 2016 remained to be the Isuzu mu-X with deliveries of 12,657 units, topping the vehicle’s 2015 result by 16.1 percent. Supporting IPC’s flagship model are sales of the Isuzu Crosswind, which at 4,659 units are 13.7 percent higher than that achieved in the previous year, and those of the N-Series light-duty commercial trucks, which rose 11 percent to 4,363 units.