Dodge and Chrysler brands at a low point
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Dodge and Chrysler brands at a low point
- The Dodge brand is the surviving main stream brand of the former Chrysler group, which during its heyday (1955-1960) included five brands, three of which were main streams (Plymouth, Dodge, De Soto) and two premium (Chrysler, Imperial).
- The product range policy imposed on the Dodge brand led to a drastic drop in its sales in the United States and consequently in its production volume. Indeed, FCA management decided to eliminate the Dart, Avenger, Journey, and Viper models, which contributed either to sales volume or to the Dodge brand image. But the most dramatic decision was to discontinue the Caravan minivan, one of the brand's best-selling vehicles, the reason being that this model was not in line with Dodge's sporty character. As a result, Chrysler (the only surviving premium brand from the former Chrysler group) was the sole entity authorized to market the Caravan's replacement, the Pacifica, as this minivan better suited Chrysler's luxury image.
- Today, Dodge only sells three models, the Charger sedan, the Charger coupe and the Durango SUV, while Chrysler only offers one model in its lineup, the Pacifica minivan also sold under the name Voyager.
- Dodge's downfall was the result of three strategic choices that proved unfortunate: first, reducing the Dodge range to three models; second, prioritizing electric motors on the Charger sedans and coupe when demand was more focused on internal combustion engines; third, refusing to market a luxury version of the new Charger sedan under the Chrysler brand as a replacement for the Chrysler 300 sedan, which sold 1.5 million units from 2004 to 2024 and was derived from the old Dodge Charger sedan.
Inovev forecasts 600,000 units per year of the new Toyota Hilux pickup truck
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Inovev forecasts 600,000 units per year of the new Toyota Hilux pickup truck
- The Toyota Hilux is a traditional mid-range pickup truck, with its first generation appearing in 1968 and its ninth generation having just been unveiled. This new Hilux will attempt to revive sales of the model, which have fallen from nearly 700,000 units in 2022 to just over 500,000 in 2025. It's worth noting that it is the best-selling and most produced mid-range pickup truck in the world, but the larger Ford F-Series surpasses it in global sales (around 900,000 units per year).
- The new Toyota Hilux, with an exterior design made by Toyota Australia, is available with a 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine producing 201 hp (150 kW) or a 2.7-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 161 hp (120 kW). A major innovation compared to previous generations, the new Toyota Hilux will be available with a fully electric powertrain (BEV) starting in 2026 and even a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) from 2028.
- Regarding the battery electric version, the carmaker deliberately limited the battery capacity to 59.2 kWh for weight reasons. As a result, the range of the model equipped with this powertrain does not exceed 240 km.
- Hilux pickup will be assembled in several countries: Argentina, India, Malaysia, South Africa and especially Thailand (60% of global Hilux production). Inovev is forecasting 600,000 sales per year of the new Toyota Hilux in total.
Inovev forecasts that Chinese carmakers will represent 75% of the Chinese market in 2030
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Inovev forecasts that Chinese carmakers will represent 75% of the Chinese market in 2030
- The sales growth of Chinese cars (Chinese brands and other brands under Chinese control) on the Chinese market compared to foreign branded cars has been steadily increasing month by month for several years.
- While the share of Chinese cars in this market did not exceed 43% between 2015 and 2020, It rose to 45% in 2021, 51% in 2022, 57% in 2023, then 60% in March 2024, 62% in May, 63% in July, 64% in September, 65% in October, 66% in December, 69% in January 2025 and 70% in October 2025.
- The market share growth of Chinese car brands seems unstoppable. The offerings from these brands continue to expand and largely surpass foreign offerings in terms of technology, design, and price, which was not the case even a decade ago. Under these conditions, the market share of foreign carmakers in China is shrinking rapidly, and it seems increasingly unlikely that their efforts to remain in, or even re-enter, this market will be successful. There is clearly a growing preference among Chinese consumers for Chinese-made cars.
- This is why Inovev does not believe in a reversal of the trend in this market over the next five years. Instead, Inovev believes in a consolidation of the market share of Chinese carmakers in China, which could reach 71% in 2026, 72% in 2027, 73% in 2028, 74% in 2029, and 75% in 2030.
The future Nissan Juke will be battery electric but will not stop the current combustion engine Juke
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The future Nissan Juke will be battery electric but will not stop the current combustion engine Juke
- The Nissan Juke , a B-segment SUV, was first launched in 2010. It was renewed in 2019 and will be renewed again in 2026, representing a life cycle of seven years instead of nine years for the previous version. Why the Juke's life cycle has been reduced? Probably because it is a normal life cycle whereas the previous life cycle was considered excessively long, but above all because the current Juke will continue its career with its internal combustion and hybrid engines alongside the new Juke, which will only be available with a fully electric motor.
- More and more carmakers are opting for the solution of offering two different body styles for the same model, depending on whether it is equipped with a combustion engine (or hybrid) or a fully electric motor. This is the case for the Porsche Cayenne, the Mercedes GLC, the BMW X3, and even the Renault Megane, which was available in 2023-2024 in two different body styles.
- The new Nissan Juke, which is expected to be launched in the fall of 2026, will take up the bold style of previous Jukes, but more exaggerated, and will be based on the CMF-EV platform of the Renault Megane E-Tech, Nissan Leaf and Nissan Ariya. It will be produced at the Sunderland plant (United Kingdom) alongside the current Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Leaf and Nissan Juke. Inovev is forecasting 25,000 sales of the new electric Juke in 2030, after 20,000 in 2029 and 15,000 in 2028.
- Regarding its electric powertrain, it could be equipped with a 120 hp or 150 hp motor, whereas the Megane E-Tech offers a choice of 130 hp or 218 hp. Its battery would offer a capacity of 40 kWh or 60 kWh, like the Renault Megane E-Tech.
South Africa currently has seven car assembly plants
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South Africa currently has seven car assembly plants
- South Africa (population 65 million) has had a relatively large automotive industry for several decades (600,000 vehicles produced in 2023, 550,000 in 2024, and 560,000 in 2025), primarily dedicated to the domestic market and large-scale exports, particularly to Europe. The country has seven assembly plants, each owned by a specific carmaker. These include the three German carmakers (Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes), three Japanese carmakers (Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu), and one American carmaker (Ford), as GM withdrew in 2017.
- 40% of vehicles produced in South Africa are pickup trucks (Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, Nissan Navara, Volkswagen Amarok), this type of vehicle being in high demand not only in South Africa but also throughout the African continent.
- The country's largest producer today is Volkswagen (180,000 vehicles in 2025), which assembles the Polo sedan and the Amarok pickup truck at its Uitenhage plant (Eastern Cape). It's worth noting that the Polo sold in Europe in 2025 will be imported entirely from South Africa. It is followed by Toyota (115,000 vehicles in 2025), which assembles the Corolla Cross, Fortuner, Dyna, Hiace, and the Hilux pickup truck at its Durban plant (KwaZulu -Natal). Next come Ford (87,500 vehicles in 2025) which produces the Ranger pickup in its Silverton plant (Gauteng), Mercedes (72,500 vehicles in 2025) which produces the C-Class sedan in its East London plant (Eastern Cape) and exports 99% of them, BMW (68,000 vehicles in 2025) which produces the X3 in its Rosslyn plant (Gauteng) and exports 95% of them, Isuzu (25,000 vehicles in 2025) and Nissan (11,000 vehicles in 2025).
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