VFACTS February: Ford Ranger still tops HiLux, Tesla Model 3 third

Australia’s new-vehicle market continued to boom in February, when there was a big 21 per cent uptick in sales compared to the same month last year, with the Ford Ranger maintaining its lead over the Toyota HiLux as the nation’s most popular vehicle – and the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan slotting into third.

The podium positions underscore the current divide among car buyers – utes remaining the overwhelming top preference, but electric cars making strong inroads – as the industry goes to war over the federal government’s proposed New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) that will hit diesel-powered utes and large SUVs hardest and could spark significant price rises.

In what was another record monthly result, the 105,023 new vehicles sold in February included three utes in the top four positions (Isuzu D-MAX was fourth), two EVs in the top 10 (Tesla Model Y joining Model 3) and four family SUVs – including one EV (Model Y), Australia’s top-selling hybrid vehicle (Toyota RAV4) and another two that offer both conventional petrol and hybrid powertrains (Nissan X-TRAIL and Mitsubishi Outlander).

Overall, battery-electric vehicles (10,111, +70.4%) accounted for 9.6 per cent of all sales in Australia last month, while one in five vehicles sold – 22,592 (21.5%) – was powered by low-emissions technology (EV, plug-in hybrid/PHEV, regular hybrid).

That’s an ever-improving share, which will continue to grow as new EVs and hybrid cars enter the market and mandatory emissions standards such as NVES and Euro 6d take hold.

But in releasing the latest figures today, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), which has been lobbying hard against the Albanese government’s preferred NVES option and timetable in a bid to lessen the impact on industry sales and the top-selling brands, rallied behind Australian buyers’ overwhelming preference for diesel utes – and the lack of alternatives.

“Australian motorists’ strong preference for utes, accounting for 20.3 per cent of sales this month, demonstrates the challenges with the proposed New Vehicle Emissions Standard,” said FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber.

“Out of 21,327 utes sold in February, only one was an EV [ed: the overpriced and underwhelming LDV eT60].

“Growing sales of electric vehicles across other market segments proves that where a battery-electric product exists which suits the driving habits of Australian motorists’ work and recreation needs, they will purchase these vehicles.”

Market leader Toyota, which has signalled the demise of diesel power under NVES and has only just launched its first EV (the bZ4X), piled on 19,374 sales last month (+35.2%), led by HiLux (4403), RAV4 (2843), Corolla (2439), LandCruiser 300 Series (1578), Camry (1552), HiAce van (1184), LandCruiser 70 Series (1115) and Prado (1018) – the vast majority of which have high-emitting oil-burning engines.

With 7350 sales (-4.1%) and no models among the top 10, Mazda only narrowly managed to hold onto its accustomed second position, with Ford close behind on 7275 sales (+20.8%).

The Blue Oval brand was again buoyed by its top-selling Ranger ute (5353) and ably supported by the related Everest SUV (1059) – the two models that today underpin Ford’s business in Australia, and which are standing in the firing line under the proposed NVES regime…

Nissan’s return to form on the Aussie charts was plain for all to see with 6617 sales laid down in February, a 157 per cent year-on-year increase, thanks to strong performances from X-TRAIL (2508) and the V8-powered Patrol (1020), and an improvement with Navara (1501).

That kept Mitsubishi (6411, +16.6%) in fifth, which will be banking on the just-launched new Triton to boost sales from March onwards (1537 last month), with support from the popular Outlander (2209) and evergreen ASX (1060).

Leading Korean brands Kia (6141, +2.4%) and Hyundai (5703, +3.6%) were relegated to sixth and seventh position respectively last month, while Tesla (5665, +61.1%) finished a solid eighth, thanks to fresh shipments of its new Tesla Model 3 sedan (3593) and Model Y SUV (2072) – the two best-selling electric cars in Australia.

Another two-model brand, though one at the other end of the raging NVES debate, Isuzu Ute recorded 4692 sales (+48.7%) last month with its diesel-powered D-MAX ute (2941) and MU-X SUV (1751) to finish ninth overall in market, ahead of leading Chinese brand MG (4474, +2.5%), which had a quiet month by its standards.

Popular brands just outside the top 10 included Subaru (3802, -6.2%), GWM/Haval (3458, +47.0%) and Volkswagen (3169, +8.2%), while other notable results included fast-rising Chinese EV brand BYD (1549, +101%) and ongoing double-digit growth from BMW (1710, +63.3%) and Lexus (1009, +40.9%) – against former luxury car leader Mercedes-Benz Cars (1272, -15.6%).

Jeep sold only 219 new vehicles last month (-44.1%), while Porsche sold more than three times that amount – 717 (+16.8%), including 293 Macan and 237 Cayenne SUVs and 96 911 sports cars.

Across the entire market, SUVs accounted for 55 per cent of total industry sales in February – 57,773 units (+20.6%) – spread across light (5132), small (14,966), medium (22,403), large (12,301) and upper-large (2971) segments, and all recording growth of between 5.2 and 83.4 per cent.

Light commercial vehicles, including utes, surged 26.7 per cent last month to 23,765 sales combined, handing them a 22.6 per cent share of the market.

Making up the balance were passenger cars (19,610, +19.3%) and heavy commercials (3875, +1.8%), for a respective market share of 18.7 and 3.7 per cent.

It’s early days yet, but the car industry is currently up 13.4 per cent after two strong months of trading, placing it on track for another record year.

Top 10 brands (2024 year to date):

Top 10 models (February 2024):

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