VFACTS August: Another monthly sales record set

A record 109,966 new vehicles were sold in Australia last month, the highest August tally in history and the third record-breaking monthly sales result this year.

A reflection of improved supplies from overseas factories, fulfilling long-awaited customer orders placed months (if not years) earlier, the booming sales in August come after all-time monthly record sales in May and July, and marks a 15.4 per cent increase over the corresponding month last year – when the market’s recovery was beginning to take hold.

It’s a welcome spike, but as Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) CEO Tony Weber points out, the more temperate – but nonetheless strong – 10 per cent sales increase across the entire year thus far is a better indicator than back-to-back months of record-breaking results.

“The Australian automotive sector continues to demonstrate its strength, with August recording unprecedented sales figures, reflecting both a high level of demand from Australians and improved supply of vehicles,” he said.

“Year-to-date sales have increased 9.9 per cent, which is a better indicator of the underlying strength of the market.”

With no massive order fulfilments of Tesla EVs factoring into the equation – just a healthy 2314 Tesla Model Y sales, and 995 for the Model 3 – the dominant players during August were legacy brands with internal combustion engined (ICE) vehicles, most notably diesel-powered utes that made up three of the top four best-selling cars in the land.

These were the Toyota HiLux (5762) and Ford Ranger (5760) – Australia’s two most popular vehicles, locked in battle for top honours with only two units separating them last month (and 881 in HiLux’s favour for the year to date, 38,525 v 37,644) – and the Isuzu D-MAX (3218), which finished fourth.

The Toyota RAV4 (3317) reclaimed its position from the Tesla Model Y as Australia’s most popular SUV with third place last month, and although it sits 56 units behind the EV on a YTD basis, expect the RAV4 hybrid and ICE vehicle range to regain ascendancy as supplies improve and the dominant Japanese brand wipes clear its current 17.2 per cent total sales deficit for the year.

But as it stands, the Model Y remains Australia’s favourite medium SUV so far this year, and less than 1000 units short of being the nation’s top-selling SUV (behind the MG ZS small SUV).

Toyota sold an impressive 22,321 new vehicles in August, up 8.3 per cent on the same month last year with supporting roles played by Corolla (2717) and Prado (1969) – both in the top 10 at sixth and 10th respectively.

The LandCruiser 300 Series (1641) and 70 Series (1102) also chimed in with 2743 sales between them, joining HiLux 4x4 in showing unremitting demand for big, brawny, off-road-capable diesel-powered vehicles in Australia.

On that note, let us point to the fact that diesel vehicle sales across all brands were up 9.1 per cent last month to 33,590 units, second only to petrol (52,407, +7.8%).

Toyota’s resurgence also means that hybrid car sales have rebounded, outselling EVs last month with 11,584 units (+68.7%) compared to 6984 EVs (+64.9%) across all brands.

Hybrids made up 10.5 per cent of all new-vehicle sales in August, compared to 6.4 per cent for EVs, with the uptick pushing the petrol-electric brigade back ahead of battery-electric vehicles for the year to date (59,593 v 56,922).

Those numbers pale against traditional ICE cars at 237,320 for diesel and 394,932 for petrol, although the FCAI is quick to point out that more than one in every six new vehicles sold in August uses some form of low-emissions technology.

How are the other major car brands going?

It might’ve been a record sales month for the industry as a whole, but there were mixed results among the leading brands during August – with several taking a downward turn.

Nissan bucked that trend with 4233 sales for the month, returning from the wilderness to land in 10th position with a 154.1 per cent upturn over August 2022. Full credit here to the new Nissan X-TRAIL (1533) and evergreen Patrol (1032).

That pushed Tesla out to 12th (3309, -2.6%), while further up the ladder Mazda held second (8458) despite a 4.1 per cent decline, and Ford capitalised on strong demand for the new Ranger and Everest by taking third position overall with 7898 sales (+35.3%) as Hyundai and Kia slipped.

The two evenly matched South Korean brands managed fourth and fifth, Hyundai (6513, -2.0%) just three units ahead of Kia (6510, -4.0%), although the latter keeps its nose in front for the year to date (51,820 v 50,741).

Outside the top five, Chinese brand MG maintained its strong standing with 5368 sales (+74.6%) – the MG ZS (3194) behind RAV as the second-most popular SUV and the fifth best-seller across all segments, even utes – while a hot-and-cold Mitsubishi (4961, -22.2%) dropped to seventh and a rock-solid Isuzu Ute (4712, +68.3%) applied continued pressure on its rivals with a move up to eighth.

Subaru, which is also firing this year following fresh model launches, was close behind on 4706 sales (+59.0%), while Volkswagen (3721, +29.7%) finished just outside the top 10 but is still recording healthy gains on last year.

Tesla still ranked as the leading prestige brand in August, its 3309 sales keeping it ahead of BMW (2272, -5.1%) and Mercedes-Benz (2144, -10.1%), while Lexus’ standout year continued with 1685 sales last month – a 253.2 per cent increase on August 2022, which took it to 9985 sales for the year to date (August 31).

We can also report that come September 1, Lexus Australia’s YTD sales passed the 10,000-unit mark in a calendar year for the first time in the Japanese luxury marque’s 33-year history Down Under.

Of those, 56 per cent were petrol-electric vehicles, while hybrids accounted for 71 per cent of the brand’s August total alone. The 855 Lexus NX medium SUV sales last month was also a record for the nameplate.

Total SUV sales across the industry in August totalled 62,313 units, a rise of 28.3 per cent over last year and accounting for 56.7 per cent of all new-vehicle sales last month. Light commercials reached 24,031 sales, up 6.9 per cent for a 21.9 per cent share, while passenger cars were at 19,336 units – down 3.3 per cent for a 17.6 per cent share.

Mid-size SUVs was the biggest single market segment (23,862, +39.6%), ahead of 4x4 utes (18,626, +16.3%) and small SUVs (17,480, +38.4%).

Top 10 vehicles (August 2023):

Top 10 brands (2023 year to date):

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