End of the exchange rate restrictions: dealerships present new cars with contained increases in May

With the lifting of the exchange rate controls and after weeks of tension between the government and automakers, the official price lists for brand-new cars for May were finally released. Contrary to all initial forecasts, the increases were not so sharp: on average, the increases ranged between 1.5% and 2.4%, well below the 3.5% forecast before Economy Minister Luis Caputo 's intervention.

Government pressure was key. Caputo not only held meetings with companies in the sector, but also directly threatened sanctions against those who exceeded their increases. The focus was especially on Stellantis , the group that represents brands such as Fiat , Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep, Ram, and DS. In response to the minister's warning, Stellantis scaled back its increase plans: going from a planned 3.5% to an actual 1.8%.

One of the surprises of the month was the return of the Fiat Argo , which is once again available at dealerships after being discontinued in the country. With a competitive price, it quickly climbed into the ranking of the ten cheapest cars in Argentina and is looking to recover some of the ground it lost to other popular models.

The Renault Kwid , which starts at $19,200,000 , continues to lead the ranking of "affordable cars," followed by models such as the Fiat Mobi , the Toyota Yaris , the Peugeot 208 , and the historic Fiat Cronos , which for months was the best-selling car in the country. The return of the Argo positions it as a valid alternative for those looking for a 0 km car without breaking the budget.

In addition to the moderate increases, the sector acknowledges that the end of the exchange rate controls brought greater predictability to the market, although concerns remain due to the volatility of the dollar and macroeconomic uncertainty. For now, dealerships are celebrating a slight recovery in inquiries and the ability to close sales more easily.

However, not everything is stable: several terminals are still awaiting decisions regarding the tax system, the availability of imported auto parts, and consumer financing, which remains a hurdle for many buyers. Although prices have moderated, prices remain well above the average price, with the most affordable models starting at 19 million pesos.

• Renault Kwid: $19,200,000
• Fiat Mobi: $20,375,000
• Fiat Fiorino: $22,331,000
• Toyota Yaris: $22,897,000
• Hyundai HB20: $23,524,800
• Fiat Cronos: $23,641,000
• Citroën C3: $23,730,000
• Fiat Argo: $23,800,000
• Peugeot 208: $24,110,000
• Citroën Basalt: $24,360,000