THE Kingdom’s automotive dealers said sales of new cars are trending positively, but most said the sector still has a way to go to reach crisis figures.

Toyota Cambodia claims to have reached its target of selling 500 vehicles in 2010, said president Kong Nuon.

“We met our target, which was slightly better compared to 2009. I did not see the industry change too much compared to a year earlier, however it did not move backward,” he said.

Sales to its NGO customers declined noticeably last year, with the majority of customers now Cambodian households, he said. Toyota Cambodia targets moving 600 units in 2011.

Another importer of Japanese vehicles, Narita Motorcare Cambodia, claimed a 15 percent increase in vehicle sales, though the firm declined to release sales figures for 2010, managing director Long Nartih said. Last year, he said the firm’s sales had declined 50 percent.

“My sales have picked up since the third quarter as I am imported new models in Q4,” he said.

Chevrolet importer Auto Sale (Cambodia) said sales increased 22 percent last year, compared to the year previous, largely on the back of new models.

However, Ford importer RM Asia said they saw sales fall short of its target 400 units last year, despite a recovering economy.

Meanwhile, new entrants claimed the first year in the Kingdom had been challenging, but added hopes that sales would improve.

Worldwide Garage – importer of new Great Wall vehicles from China – set up shop early last year.

In 2010, sales attained about 40 percent of its target of 150 units, said its chairman and CEO Peang Mann. The dealership is aiming to sell 150 to 200 vehicles this year.

He added that it was likely between 2,500 and 3,000 units are sold in Cambodia per year, with more than 10 official dealers in operation.