Record Year for Oz Light-Vehicle Sales on Horizon

A record November result sent Australian new-vehicle sales roaring through the 1 million-unit barrier and headed for a record year.

November’s result was up 6.9% year-on-year at 98,639 units for an 11-month total ahead 3.9% at 1,055,792.

The car segment fell 3.1% to 41,726 units for an 11-month total also down 3.1% at 40,471.

The SUV segment saw November deliveries rise 16.2% to 36,070 units for a year-to-date total up 15.9% at 373,032. Light-commercial-vehicle sales jumped 16.0% to 17,990 units for the month to rise 1.3% to 182,135 units with a month of the year to go.

Releasing the data, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries CEO Tony Weber says the industry is looking toward a record year, and the fourth year in which sales have topped 1.1 million.

The market needs to sell 80,436 units this month, well short of November’s total, to beat the record of 1,136,227 units set in 2013.

“Both SUV and light-commercial-vehicle sales surged in November, with both segments seeing 16% increases on November 2014 sales, and the segments together representing almost 55% of the total vehicle market,” Weber says in a statement.

Despite falling car sales, the segment remained the largest with 42.3% of the market. Of the 41,726 units sold in November, 44% were small passenger cars. The popularity of that category is reflected in the top-five seller lists where the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 are the only vehicles to have appeared every month this year.

Toyota was the highest-selling brand in November with 18,402 units for an 18.7% market share. Mazda followed with 9,807 (9.9%), GM Holden with 8,889 (9.0%), Hyundai, 8,416 (8.5%) and Nissan, 7,229 (7.3%).

The Corolla was the monthly best seller for the sixth time this year with 3,430 units, ahead of the new edition of the Toyota Hilux (3,369), Mazda3 (3,104) Ford Ranger (3,028) and Toyota Camry (3,025).

The locally built Camry had its best month in almost two years on the back of new-look gasoline and hybrid models. Camry sales for the 11 months have topped 22,300, an increase of 13.5% from a year ago.

Mazda Australia already has rewritten the record books, with 11-month deliveries up 13.4% to 104,316 units and in the process passing its 2012 full-year record of 103,886 with a month of sales to go. Mazda also set a November record with a 21% jump to 9,807 units.

The Mazda CX-3 was Australia’s best-selling small SUV in November with 1,397 units.

The Mazda3 continues to be the marque’s most popular nameplate with 3,104 deliveries last month for an 11-month total of 35,199.

Martin Benders, managing director-Mazda Australia, says with December a traditionally a busy month for the industry, Mazda may end the year close to 113,000 sales and possibly, a never-before-achieved 10% market share.

Subaru, on a roll globally, saw November sales rise 2.2% to 3,884 units for an 11-month total up 7.9% at 39,991. Its year-to-date total of 10,416 units – the first time it has broken the five-figure level in Australia – was up 351.5%.

Australian buyers shrugged off the Volkswagen emissions scandal to give the brand a record result in November, with deliveries rising 0.9% to 4,441 units. That put its year-to-date total at 55,767 units, topping the previous full-year record of 54,835 set in 2012.

VW Group Australia Managing Director Michael Bartsch says the result is welcome news after a challenging quarter globally.

“While we certainly have much to do in light of the global emissions situation affecting our company, this is definitely a great way to close the month, especially with another one to go,” Bartsch says.