Opinion – Eduardo Sodré: Fiat Strada ends 2021 as the best-selling car in Brazil

For the first time in the history of the national automotive industry, a pickup is the best-selling car in Brazil. Fiat Strada reached the end of 2021 with 109,107 units sold, according to Fenabrave (an entity that represents vehicle distributors).

The utility had a queue of six months throughout the year, which did not prevent the launch of new versions. The automatic option hit the market in November, with a CVT-type gearbox that simulates seven gears and a 1.3-litre flex engine (107 hp).

The model’s history begins in 1998, when Fiat launched the new model based on the compact Palio. The current generation is the first to feature a four-door bodywork, something previously unheard of in the compact pickup segment.

Second place in sales was occupied by the Hyundai HB20, which had 86,455 units sold in 2021. Another Fiat model, the Argo, appears in third (84,644), followed by the Jeep Renegade (73,913).

Leader between 2015 and 2020, Chevrolet Onix appears in fifth place with 73,623 licensed units. The model had production halted for about six months throughout 2021 due to problems with the supply of semiconductors.

By being able to better deal with the scarcity of inputs, the Stellantis group stood out last year. Among the 10 best-selling cars, six are Fiat and Jeep brands.

The French wing of the multi-brand company also performed well after difficult years. Citroën ended 2021 with 23,351 units sold, an increase of 77% over 2020. At Peugeot, the 29,531 license plates represented a growth of 126% in the last year.

A study released by BASF proves what automotive launches have shown: blue gains strength among the colors preferred by the public in South America. The different shades available reached a 5% share in 2021.

However, the preferred options are still the black, white, silver and gray variations – which together account for 85% of the market.