VFACTS for May: HiLux remains number one

Toyota's HiLux posted the best sales results for the month of May, the second consecutive month the aging light commercial vehicle has been the most popular model sold in Australia.

The Toyota's total of 4626 vehicles sold contrasts with the continuing slump experienced by Ford's Falcon, which recorded merely 1008 units for May, just eight ahead of Holden's Barina. If not for stock shortages Holden's Korean-built light hatch would have overtaken the locally-manufactured large car. The Falcon's dismal sales results occurred in a strong market, with the May sales result topping 96,069 for the month — an increase of 18,668 on May 2011 — and year-to-date sales of 435,288 already 35,209 ahead of last year's.

Until recently the second largest selling vehicle in the country, the Falcon's fall from grace has occurred in spite of Ford offering new variants (EcoLPI and EcoBoost) in recent times. According to Ford's Public Affairs Director, Sinead Phipps, the well received EcoBoost models were still being rolled out to dealers late in May, and would have had little impact on the Falcon's total sales for the month.

"They started shipping to dealers in very late April," Ms Phipps told motoring.com.au near the end of last month. "So there are some dealers who are only just getting them now — or getting more than one, if you like. It'll be another month probably, before they're actually available, in all dealerships, in volume."

Ford has not expected the EcoBoost to add massive sales volumes to Falcon's total; Ms Phipps explained that the EcoBoost will be a "slow burn" — not helped by the fact that the turbo four in the large sedan is an unknown quantity in the market.

"We've got to get more out to dealers so they've got enough to demonstrate it," she said. Ford has conducted a national road show demonstrating the vehicle to fleets, but the company is largely reliant on dealers to find new ways of exposing private buyers to the fuel-efficient Falcon. In total, Ford posted 7738 sales for May, which was better than May 2011, but the year to date figure (34,290) remains 1718 units behind the 2011 figure. Territory (1280) is more than compensating for the downturn in Falcon sales. Top selling Ford is the Focus (7429 to date).

While the Falcon's sales decline (27 distinct models of car sell in larger numbers than the Falcon) makes it very much a bit player these days, buyers for Holden's Commodore are also beginning to diminish in alarming numbers. Now outsold year to date by the Cruze small car, the Commodore sold 2521 vehicles last month — nearly 1300 fewer than in May 2011. Commodore is over 4000 units behind in year to date sales (13,117 versus 17,223). Cruze (13,380, year to date) is Holden's best seller by a small margin. Holden's year to date total (45,551 versus 49,743 last year), is almost solely explained by Commodore's lower sales over the same period. Both Ford's and Holden's sales have been affected by supply out of Thailand (Ranger and Colorado).

But the market overall is strengthening constantly. According to the FCAI's seasonally-adjusted figures, the Australian market is achieving an annualised total of 1.078 million vehicles. Toyota is forging ahead, which isn't surprising after its miserable year in 2011, when natural disasters choked supply from its imported vehicle plants (in Japan and Thailand). Even the company's locally-built Camry and Aurion models (both altogether new models within the last three months) have been selling in significantly better numbers.

"Toyota's strength is across the board with an extensive and growing model range that offers the performance, features and value demanded by Australian motorists," the company's executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said, as quoted in a press release.

"We have a strong mix of locally manufactured cars with new-generation models of Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion, plus recently arrived all-new models from Japan in the Prius c and Prius v. [And] This month we are adding even more excitement to our range with the remarkable 86 sports car."

It wasn't just Toyota enjoying the merry month of May, either. Different importers across the whole spectrum of the market rejoiced in impressive sales performances during the month. Prestige brand Mercedes-Benz registered a record month.

“We saw the Federal Budget contributing to economic uncertainty juxtaposed against an interest rate cut that encouraged economic activity. These conspired to cause questioning of the economic direction and some retail pullback across all sectors,” Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Horst von Sanden said in a press release. “We have an ongoing strategy that whilst it could not address some of the economic caution and uncertainty it more than met the interest rate cut with a finance offer that provided zero interest finance offer for two years. Allied with new model releases we were able to record one of our best months ever in over  fifty years in Australia. May delivered for our brand a beautiful set of numbers.”

1917 sales during May placed Mercedes-Benz ahead of rivals BMW (1462) and Audi (1246). Company spokesman David McCarthy told motoring.com.au this morning that Benz cannot procure enough stock of B-Class and M-Class to meet local demand. Plus, the importer expects to sell over a thousand of its premium AMG models this year.

At the other end of the market, Suzuki also posted a new record for May. Shifting 2450 vehicles, the importer claims last month was its second-best month ever.

“The addition of Swift Sport has given us a full model line-up in the light car segment and we are confident of maintaining these sort of numbers for the rest of the year,” said Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers, who also cites the improved supply out of Japan for the importer's improved sales performance.

“The Sagara plant is now back operating at full capacity and we are seeing the figures we anticipated from Swift and a return to expected sales of Grand Vitara.”

Not far away in the alphabet, another Japanese company — Subaru — also posted a record May result. The importer sold 3803 vehicles during the month, taking the year to date total up to 17,240 sales... also a personal best for the company. Nick Senior, Managing Director for Subaru Australia credits the company's rapidly expanding SUV portfolio for the upward sales trend.

“Year-to-date SUV sales represent 27.9 per cent of the total market, compared to 23.3 per cent this time last year,” he was quoted saying in a press release.

“There is little doubt that in the near future SUVs will account for 30 per cent of total industry sales. This is a seismic shift – one of the most significant ever, and in a short period of time. Five years ago (year end 2006) passenger cars represented 62.2 per cent of the market and SUVs 17.7 per cent. Compare that to 50.4 per cent and 28.0 per cent respectively in May this year.

“SUV sales have exploded because of their versatility, fit with the Australian way of life and the fact that drivers appreciate the field of vision and sitting higher. Also, our ageing population likes the ease of entry and exit offered by SUVs. Additionally, with new engine and transmission technology, the cost of running SUVs has dropped dramatically and that was one of the barriers to purchase.

“For instance our new Subaru XV automatic has a combined fuel consumption of 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres, which is better than many small cars. With our XV, Forester, Outback and Tribeca SUVs, Subaru is in a good position to capitalise on this growth.

“XV is the right vehicle in the segment at the right time. Supply remains tight, but we do have some XV 2.0i-S variants over the next couple of months to help clear the backlog of customer orders.”

Another brand going from strength to strength is Jeep. Held back last year by lack of supply for the then new Grand Cherokee, the American brand has since caught up — and that shows in its 94 per cent sales gain in May (1335 units). Across all models, Jeep's sales for the year to date have risen by nearly 140 per cent to 6726 units.

“The Jeep brand is extremely strong at the moment, with the Grand Cherokee, Compass and Patriot recording excellent sales,” said Clyde Campbell, managing director of the Fiat Chrysler Group, quoted in a press release. The importer observed better sales for the Dodge brand last month, thanks to the Journey people mover, but other than sales of the Voyager, the Chrysler brand sold nothing in Australia as it awaits the arrival of the new 300C. Due to the formal handover of distribution for Fiat and Alfa Romeo during the months, any sales of the two European marques will have to wait for next month to be recorded in VFACTS statistics.

“We’re delighted with the sales performance of our Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands this year, and excited about what the rest of the year has in store for these brands,” Campbell said.

“And we’re looking forward to bolstering the sales of our new brands – the Fiat, Fiat Professional and Alfa Romeo brands in the Australian market,” Campbell said.

Renault continues its resurgence in Australia, with the importer turning over 420 vehicles last month. Not a lot by the standards of other importers, that number is the best figure the company has seen in a decade.

“May sales demonstrate Renault is continuing on an upward trajectory, and that our model range is finding favour with buyers who appreciate the value and pleasure a Renault product delivers,” said Justin Hocevar, Managing Director of Renault Australia, in a press release.

“Our offer to the market, in terms of well-equipped product, attractive finance terms, and our five-year warranty on the passenger range, has struck a chord.

“We are delighted the LCV range is beginning to make significant headway in this market and that the Renault Sport models continue to be perceived as the benchmark in their relative hot hatch segments.

“In June, Renault is launching a brand campaign which sets out the core values of the brand, and in the third quarter we will be releasing an even more powerful version of the Mégane R.S. Coupé, the 265 hp model which last year lapped the Nürburgring faster than any previous front-wheel drive car and many other highly respected sports cars.

“Further new model activity will roll on through the remainder of the year, while in Europe all eyes will be on the Paris Motor Show where our all-new Clio IV will be unveiled, resetting the benchmark for the 5-door light car class,” Mr Hocevar said.

Top selling brands for the year to date are: Toyota (84,386), Holden (45,551), Mazda (42,540), Hyundai (35,634), Ford (34,290), Nissan (31,549), Mitsubishi (24,641), Volkswagen (20,520), Subaru (17,240), Kia (12,409). Holden, Ford and Mitsubishi are the only three companies in the top 10 to post lower numbers than for the same period last year. Mitsubishi's year to date sales have dropped back by just 642 units, with stronger Triton sales offsetting lower numbers for Lancer.

The best selling cars during the month of May were: Toyota Hilux (4626), Mazda3 (3288), Toyota Corolla (3155), Holden Cruze (2860), Holden Commodore (2521), Nissan Navara (2436), Hyundai i30 (2159), Toyota Prado (1900), Toyota Camry (1850), Mitsubishi Triton (1845).

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