Record new-car sales in April

New-car sales records appear set to continue to tumble -- and 2010 is well on track to return to 1 million-plus annual motor vehicle sales -- according to preliminary figures shown to the Carsales Network.

The new-car market grew by a massive 18 per cent in the first three months of this year compared with the first three months of last year -- April data is expected to show even higher growth, but the figures are yet to be released.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries is due to release the official April new motor vehicle sales tally at midday tomorrow (Wednesday May 5).

The preliminary data shows that Toyota's Hilux utility took the sales leadership for the month and the Holden Commodore is still on track to become Australia's favourite car for a record 15th year in a row.

The preliminary data also shows that most of the big car brands have recorded massive, double-digit growth.

Comparing April 2010 sales with April 2009 sales, Hyundai is up a staggering 62 per cent, Mitsubishi is up 50 per cent, Mazda is up 33 per cent, Toyota is up 28 per cent, Holden is up 27 per cent, Nissan is up 25 per cent and Ford is up 20 per cent.

One of the few mainstream brands to grow at a slower rate than the booming market is Honda, which was up by only 2 per cent, continuing a run of weak sales over the past 18 months or so.

While the Holden Commodore (3100) comfortably outsold the Ford Falcon (2700), the Holden was again challenged by a bunch of small cars, including one from its own stable.

The Mazda3 posted just shy of 3100 sales, the figures are expected to show, while the Holden Cruze small car posted 2500 sales. Once the hatchback version of the Cruze arrives next year it could finally overtake the Commodore as Holden's (and Australia's) biggest seller, as predicted by the new boss of Holden, Mike Devereux.

In the Light and Small car stakes, Hyundai's Getz had another blinder with 2200 sales (mainly driven by rental fleets buying up big before the model is phased out), while the Hyundai i30 did almost 2500 sales compared to the Toyota Corolla's tally of 2800.

The real battle, however, is in the recreational vehicle and softroader classes.

Toyota's Prado was the country's biggest-selling 4WD in April, but the softroader battle was particularly tight, with a neck and neck race between the Subaru Forester (1115 sales), Holden Captiva (just shy of 1100 sales) and Ford Territory (1080 sales).

Other recreational vehicles to enjoy strong growth were the Mitsubishi Outlander (up 120 per cent), Mitsubishi Pajero (up 60 per cent) and Nissan Dualis (up 255 per cent). All percentages compare April 2010 sales with April 2009 sales.

Not so lucky was the Nissan Pathfinder, with sales down by 89 per cent.

The official data is due to be unveiled at midday on May 5 and could vary slightly from the preliminary data used in this story.