February Sees SUVs Gain More Ground in Oz Market

Australian new-vehicle sales rose 6.7% year-on-year in February to 96,443 units, a continuing strong start to the year.

FCAI CEO Tony Weber says cars barely remained the top-selling category, taking 41% (39,558 units) of the market in February. The SUV segment followed with 38.2% (36,865) and light-commercial vehicles accounted for 18.1% (17,486).

SUV and LCV sales were up 15.1% and 12.8% year-on-year, respectively. Cars fell 3%.

“Business buyers continued to show confidence through February, with sales…up 15.6% compared to February 2015,” Weber says in a statement. “In particular, business purchases of LCVs increased 32.8% and business purchases of SUVs increased 18.8%. Sales to private buyers increased 1.1% and sales to government increased 1.9%.”

Toyota maintained its Australian dominance with February sales of 16,191 for a 16.8% share, ahead of Mazda on 10,205, (10.6%); Hyundai, 7,701 (8.0%); GM Holden, 7,340 (7.6%); and Ford, 6,656 (6.7%).

Toyota’s Corolla was the country’s most popular vehicle with 3,455 deliveries, ahead of the Mazda3 (3,354), Toyota Hilux (3,261) Ford Ranger (2,655) and Hyundai i30 (2,461).

After two months, the Australian market was up 4.8% at 180,816 units.

Year-to-date new-car sales were down 7.2% at 74,772 units, but were more than offset by SUV sales up 15.1% at 69,932 and LCVs up 12.4% at 31,983.

Toyota’s sales of 28,644 units over the year’s first two months put it well ahead of Mazda’s 20,221. Japanese rival Mazda made a huge start to the year as it sold 10,000 units in successive months Down Under for the first time.

Subaru’s new-generation Outback sold 869 units in February as the brand’s overall deliveries rose 9.8% to 3,538 units.