Australia Sales Running Ahead of 2016’s Record Pace

A record November result pushed Australian new-vehicle sales passed the 1 million-unit mark and set a course for another landmark year.

The industry’s statistical service VFACTS says the month’s deliveries rose 2.5% to 101,365 units, with sales records now having been posted for seven of the 11 months this year.

The latest result left the year-to-date total up 0.6% on last year’s record pace at 1,086,296 units.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries CEO Tony Weber says with less than one month remaining, he is confident the industry will top last year’s record.

“The momentum built in the market over the past few months appears to be continuing, so we’re on target for another record year,” he says in a statement.

The month saw SUV sales climb 8.6% to 40,748 units, backed by light-commercial deliveries rising 7.9% to 20,059. This was enough to offset a 7.3% drop in car sales to 36,928 units.

Most of the market momentum again was with small and medium SUVs and all-wheel-drive pickups.

“The small SUV segment was the star performer, rocketing up 31.1% (to 11,276 units) on the back of some fresh competition arriving in the marketplace,” Weber says.

Year-to-date, SUV sales were up 4.7% at 425,217 units, CV deliveries ahead 7.5% at 214,444, and cars down 6.9% at 413,264.

Business buyers returned in force to the November market. Sales to private buyers fell 3.4% year-on-year, but business purchases of SUVs climbed 12.9% and of LCVs by 14.6%.

Toyota remained the runaway market leader with 18,804 deliveries for an 18.6% share of the November market. Mazda followed with 9,330 units, then Hyundai (8,781), GM Holden (7,955) and Mitsubishi (6,678).

Two LCVs and five SUVs were among November’s 10 best-selling vehicles.

The Toyota HiLux led with 4,103 units, ahead of the Ford Ranger (3,576), Toyota Corolla (2,959), Mazda3 (2,464) and Mazda CX-5 (2,358).

For Toyota the result meant a 13^th year of selling more than 200,000 units – the only automaker to achieve the figure – after delivering 199,485 units in the first 11 months.

Toyota led its nearest rival Mazda (107,247) by 92,230 units and is destined to achieve annual sales leadership in Australia for the 21st time, including the past 15 years in a row.

The HiLux appears set to be Australia’s best-selling vehicle this year with record sales of 43,144 units, giving the pickup a lead of almost 4,000, while the Corolla is on track to be the top-selling car for a fifth year in a row with 34,712 units and a lead of almost 5,000.

Sean Hanley, senior divisional manager-Toyota Sales and Marketing, says the company result so far this year represents an increase of almost 10,000 units or 5.2%.

Meantime, Subaru’s 35 months of continuous growth culminated in an annual sales record with a month to go. The 4,265 units sold in November raised Subaru’s 11-month total 12.2% to 48,379 units – 1,361 ahead of its 2016 total.

Leading the Subaru sales charge for the month was the new generation all-wheel-drive XV, up 36.5% to 1,111 units, and the new-generation Impreza with 909 units.

Skoda was another brand to set an annual record with a month to go. Its year-to-date volume of 5,026 units was well ahead of last year’s record 4,760. The Octavia range is Skoda’s mainstay with 1,787 deliveries this year, including 228 in November.