The past year may be remembered as the darkest year of this raging Covid-19 pandemic as it was supposed to be the year that the industry was finally about to see the light at the end of the long, cold and dark tunnel. However, with reimposition of lockdowns, virus cases catapulting to unimaginable numbers and global fuel prices skyrocketing to unexpected heights, that supposed light turned dimmer as we slowly marched through the year.

However, despite the predicament, we remained unthwarted. The relentless spirit of the automotive industry, in particular, pressed on come hell or high water. In the face of struggles, it has shown grit and with it, it has borne fruit, as it tried to recover and surpass sales numbers in 2020.

In its recent year-to-date (YTD) November joint sales report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers' Association, the industry churned out 240,642 units, a 22.7 percent growth compared to the same period last year. Take note, this does not even include the Association of Vehicle Imports and Distributors' numbers. The feat may be attributed to the collective effort of local players as they kept the industry alive amid all the chaos. In particular, a number of carmakers persistently held their ground and still conducted their various vehicle launches throughout the year. In fact, the following are the top local carmakers (wherein the top five may be in order, so far) which has helped the industry recover from last year's slump.

Toyota Motor Philippines

With half of the bestselling cars in the local industry belonging to the country's biggest carmaker, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) remained steadfast — as usual — selling 116,165 units YTD this November. These digits may be attributed to a number of its vehicles in its stable. Few of these vehicles are perhaps its newest sport versions of its pickup truck and sport utility vehicle (SUV), particularly included in its racing lineup, the Toyota Hilux GR-S and the Toyota Fortuner GR-S.