Bermuda Motors led the island in car sales in 2013

Islandwide sales figures for 2013 show that Bermuda Motors is the Island’s leading car dealership with Kia the Island’s most popular brand of car.

Almost half of the 932 new cars purchased in 2013 were bought from Bermuda Motors, according to Transport Control Department statistics. The company sold 426 private, Government, GP and doctor’s cars during the past 12 months, giving it a 46 per cent market share – 10 per cent more than its nearest rival.

Kia remains the company’s best-selling brand, accounting for 36 per cent (338 cars) of the market in 2013 – 14 per cent ahead of the next best brand – with Kia cars topping the sales numbers in licence classes B, E and F.

The year’s total car sales figures indicate a slight growth in the automotive sector with the number of sales up from 893 in 2012. However, figures are still 54 per cent below 2007’s high of 2,016. The numbers indicate consumers are increasingly choosing smaller cars as vehicles in licence class B and E accounted for 444, or 48 per cent, of vehicles sold.

The class B Kia Picanto was Bermuda’s best-selling car last year with 153 vehicles sold (69 per cent of the class B sector) while the 1.6 litre Kia Rio hatchback topped class E, with 106 sold (48 per cent). The 1.6 litre Kia Soul led class F with 44 vehicles sold (20 per cent), followed by the Toyota Avanza (also sold by Bermuda Motors), with 27.

Michael Butler, general manager of Bermuda Motors, said: “Naturally we are delighted to again be Bermuda’s favourite car dealership. We think the figures reflect our dedication to providing quality cars that offer good value for money along with superior customer and after-sales service.

“The continued success of Kia cars is a reflection of their consistent quality right across the range and the fact that they back that up with a five year warranty – no one else in Bermuda offers that kind of guarantee.

“In addition we back that up with fixed-price servicing on all Kia cars – again, something no one else offers in Bermuda – which really offers value-for-money in the current economic climate.”

He added: “The figures for the industry overall show that car sales have remained basically the same for the last three years and will probably stay at that level for at least the next two years.”