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NEWS
VFACTS for January: Post-Christmas hangover for retailers
Market slowed in January, but Mazda3 took back top spot, even before new model goes on saleThe run-out of the second-gen Mazda3 is accelerating to a frenetic pace, as VFACTS figures for January have revealed.
Toyota's Corolla may have been first past the post in 2013, but the soon-to-be superseded Mazda has put everyone on notice with a sales result of 4561 units sold during January, making it the most popular car for the month. That result is fully 36 per cent better than the Mazda3's performance in January 2013.
The result for Mazda was one highpoint in an otherwise lacklustre reporting period, with a total of 82,285 representing a 3.7 per cent decline in sales over January 2013. Nonetheless, against January figures in any year other than a record-breaker – as 2013 was – last month's total would have been respectable. It's well ahead of the figure of 76,783 for January 2012, and only marginally less than the figure of 82,459 for January 2011.
Corolla finished the month behind Mazda3, on 2914 sales, with Toyota's HiLux in third place with 2544 units sold. Hyundai's i30 took out fourth with 2486 and the Holden Commodore – 2364 units sold for the month; a 43 per cent increase, year on year – was narrowly behind the i30 in fifth.
Across the nation the market grew by 3.4 per cent in New South Wales and 2.4 per cent in the ACT, but declined everywhere else. In the mining boom state of Western Australia, sales declined by more than 14 per cent – as was the case too in South Australia.
“Amid declining sales across the majority of segments, small SUV's continued to be a popular choice. Sales in this segment reached 6,146 in January 2014, which is a 17.6 per cent increase on January 2013 small SUV sales,” said FCAI Chief Executive, Tony Weber, as quoted in a press release.
Reversing a long-term trend, motor vehicle sales to government last month rose by 8.9 per cent, largely driven by passenger vehicle purchases (up 26.2 per cent, offsetting an 8.4 per cent decline in SUVs). Light commercial vehicle sales to government departments improved 2.2 per cent for the month. Business sales dropped 7.8 per cent, year on year.
Top selling brands for the month were: Toyota (13,646), Mazda (9411), Holden (8871), Hyundai (7152), Ford (6804), Nissan (4253), Mitsubishi (4140), Volkswagen (4048), Subaru (3051) and Kia (2484). Of the top 10 brands, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Subaru sold fewer cars than in January 2013. Kia displaced Honda in 10th position for the month.
The 10 best selling cars during January were: Mazda3 (4561), Toyota Corolla (2914), Toyota HiLux (2544), Hyundai i30 (2486), Holden Commodore (2364), Ford Focus (2074), Mazda CX-5 (1853), Ford Ranger (1617), Volkswagen Golf (1557) and Hyundai ix35 (1496).
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Written byKen Gratton
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