SUVs Set January Sales Pace in Australia

With SUVs leading the way, Australian new-vehicle sales start the year up 4.3% year-over-year to 76,783 in January.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data shows SUV deliveries last month jumped 29.8% to 22,123 units, although new-car sales edged down 2.2% to 42,555 and

light-commercial vehicles saw an 11.1% decline to 10,403.

FCAI CEO Ian Chalmers calls the January results encouraging.

Last month’s increase was driven by 2,533 private-party purchases of SUVs, a 27.7% year-over-year increase; 2,233 sales of SUVs bought by businesses, a 32.3% jump from like-2011; and 583 passenger-car buys by car-rental companies, a 55.6% boost, he says

in a statement.

Six of the top 20 sellers were SUVs, with the Toyota RAV4 outperforming the combined medium and large-car segments.

“The number of private buyers for passenger cars declined by 8.4% (2,314) compared with this time last year,” Chalmers says.

Queensland, where three-quarters of the state was declared a disaster zone after massive flooding at the beginning of 2011, continued the strong sales growth from December, with new-vehicle deliveries rising 18.3% to 15,732 units.

Toyota picked up where it left off, topping January sales with an 18.3% market share, ahead of GM Holden with 11.8% and Mazda with 11%.

Toyota led the market despite a severe shortage of its top-selling HiLux pickups that saw fewer than 1,100 units delivered, about one-third the normal level.

The auto maker expects “all HiLux stock to improve in February and beyond,” Matthew Callachor, sales and marketing executive director-Toyota Australia, says in a statement.

HiLux pickups are imported from Thailand, where Toyota says its factory has resumed normal production after the severe floods there.

Toyota also topped the passenger-car, SUV and LCV segments. Callachor says last month’s overall result shows the strength of the auto maker’s diverse range.

“Camry celebrated the arrival of the new seventh-generation range with sales up 22% on the same month last year,” he says in a statement. With a new Camry Hybrid due within two months, the Camry range is poised to extend its 18 consecutive years as Australia's best-selling medium car.

The Kluger and Prado took the top two positions in the large SUV segment and the LandCruiser 200 Series topped the upper-large SUV segment.

GM Holden enjoyed strong January sales, with positive results across a range of local and imported passenger and SUV models for an 8.1% year-on-year increase to 9,061 units.

The South Australian-built Cruze led GM Holden deliveries for the first time, with 2,445 sales and a 13.1% share of the small-car segment. It was followed by the one-time market leader, the Commodore, with 2,170 sales for 49.7% of the large-car segment.

The result put the Commodore in fourth place for the month, but its struggling rival, the Ford Falcon, didn’t make it onto the list of the 20 best-selling models.

GM Holden Sales Director Philip Brook says although January is traditionally a quieter month, recently introduced models such as the Series II Captiva, Barina and Cruze Hatch were proving to be hot properties.

The auto maker is putting the finishing touches on the all-new Colorado pickup and says it expects the light truck to be a serious challenger in the Australian light-commercial market.

Mazda Australia set a January record, and posted its fourth-best month ever, with deliveries up 17.8% to 8,479 units.

The Mazda3, Australia's best-selling car in 2011, picked up where it left off with 4,045 deliveries to again top the sales charts. It was the third time in the past year the Mazda3 has found more than 4,000 buyers in a month.

In the light segment, Mazda2 held its lead with sales rising 19% to 1,624 units for its third-best month ever.

The CX-7’s 1,167 deliveries were its best-ever result and good for second place in the hotly contested medium-SUV segment in January.

Hyundai had its best-ever January result since the brand arrived in Australia, finishing in fourth place with sales up 2% to 6,513 units. The total included 4,946 passenger vehicles for an 11.6% share.