April Sales Keep Oz on Pace to Top 2013 Record

Australian new-vehicle sales inch up 1.2% year-on-year in April to 81,656 units after a record March result.

Analysts had expected the April market to pause, but SUV sales climbed 17% and light-commercial deliveries rose 3.4%, enough to offset a 10.3% drop in car sales.

Still, the April result was down 23,398 units, or 23.3%, from the record 105,054 March deliveries.

Year-to-date sales were up 3.5% at 359,250 units, staying ahead of the 2013 record.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries CEO Tony Weber says individual buyers continued to show a preference for SUVs and LCVs, with private purchases of SUVs increasing 24.4% and of LCVs 17.7%.

“Overall, new-car sales to private buyers increased 8.8% and new-car sales to government increased 1.7%,” Weber says. “Business purchases were down, with the business community purchasing 5.6% less vehicles than in April 2014.”

While small-car sales fell 13.8%, Weber says the segment continues to attract the most buyers, holding 19.8% of the new-car market in April and 21.1% year-to-date. Large SUVs held 12.9% of the new-car market last month, followed by medium SUVs (12.1%), all-wheel-drive LCVs (11.6%) and small SUVs (10.1%), he says.

Toyota was the market leader in April with 15,299 units, followed at a distance by Mazda (8,068), Hyundai (7,210) and GM Holden (7,072).

The Toyota Corolla again topped the sales chart with 3,238 units in April, ahead of the Toyota Hilux (2,789), Mazda3 (2,365), Hyundai i30 (2,298) and Ford Ranger (2,200).

With one-third of the year in the books, Toyota led the market with sales up 1.95% at 64,285 units, well ahead of Mazda, up 4.5% at 36,348 and GM Holden, down 10.1% at 31,853.

Toyota appears to have shrugged off any consumer sentiment about its decision to halt local production, but fellow manufacturers GM Holden and Ford (down 18.8% to 21,585), who also are ending local production, both saw falling sales in a rising market.

Tony Cramb, Toyota Australia executive director-sales and marketing, says sales will continue to benefit from new models, improved customer service and innovative marketing.

“We are about to enter an intense period of model launches with Toyota dealers able to offer at least 10 new or substantially revised vehicles over the next 10 months,” he says. “In addition, the entire auto industry is benefiting as private and business customers take advantage of strong competition and record-low interest rates.”

Mazda’s result was its best-ever for April, raising its 4-month total 4.5% to a record 36,348 units for a 10.1% market share.

Mazda Australia Managing Director Martin Benders credits the record-breaking start to the year to new-model launches and upgrades over the past five months and the increasing appeal of SUVs.

He says the first-ever Mazda CX-3 has exceeded all expectations.

“To have sold 2,261 CX-3s in just over six weeks has been simply astonishing,” Benders says in a statement. “This tells us that those interested in a small SUV are looking for something with more style and power, and want a greater range of choice.”

Elsewhere, Volkswagen achieved four consecutive months of record sales as April deliveries rose 13.8% year-on-year to 4,572. Year-to-date sales were up a healthy 13.6% at 19,383 units.