VFACTS — SUVs to the fore

Queensland accounted for two thirds of the new-car sales growth in January. And SUVs drove the market growth Australia-wide.

The Australian automotive market got off to a slow start last year, thanks to the floods in Queensland during January.

No such natural cataclysm this year though; the market of 76,783 vehicles sold last month represented a gain of 4.3 per cent (3199 units). Most of those cars (2500) came from the state of Queensland, accounting for an 18.3 per cent improvement in that region, year on year.

Breaking down the market by class, SUVs were the principal driver of the market's strength during the month, rising year on year by 5073 vehicles (29.8 per cent) for a total of 22,123 in January. In contrast, passenger vehicles (42,555 sold) fell by 966 units or 2.2 per cent. And light trucks (10,403) dropped by 1297 or 11.1 per cent.

Toyota topped the market as usual, but sold over 700 fewer than in January 2011. According to a press release from the company, the difference was constrained supply of its popular HiLux commercial vehicle. Only 1130 units were sold, roughly a third of the normal monthly sales figure.

"Even with low supply, HiLux was the most popular 4x2 ute and we expect all HiLux stock to improve in February and beyond," said Toyota's executive director sales and marketing, Matthew Callachor, as quoted in the press release. Despite the HiLux shortfall, the company had reasons to celebrate otherwise, among them the acceptance of the new Camry (pictured).

"Camry celebrated the arrival of the new seventh-generation range with sales up 22 per cent on the same month last year," Callachor said. "With a new Camry Hybrid due inside two months, the new Camry range is set to extend its 18 consecutive years as Australia's best-selling medium car.

"Toyota also had strong results with Kluger and Prado taking the top two positions in the large SUV segment and LandCruiser 200 Series continuing its leadership of the upper-large SUV segment. Corolla topped 3,300 sales for the month to be Australia's second most popular vehicle, while HiAce performed well as the best-selling van and best-selling light bus.

The FCAI, as we reported earlier, has revised the parameters for SUV and light commercial vehicle segments. To illustrate how this plays out, the Mazda CX-7 is now considered a medium SUV; Territory and Pajero (and Challenger) move up into large SUV segments.

The top ten car companies as of the end of January are: Toyota (14,065), Holden (9061), Mazda (8479), Hyundai (6513), Ford (5838), Nissan (5358), Mitsubishi (4566), Volkswagen (3366), Subaru (3205) and Kia (2276). Toyota, Ford and Subaru recorded fewer sales last month than for January 2011. Honda has dropped out of the Top Ten, with Kia moving up into tenth position for the first time.

The top ten-selling cars for the month were: Mazda3 (4045), Toyota Corolla (3383), Holden Cruze (2445), Holden Commodore (2170), Hyundai i30 (1986), Mazda2 (1624), Nissan Navara (1609), Ford Focus (1576), Mitsubishi Lancer (1470), Toyota Yaris (1352). Small cars occupy the first three spots (among them Holden's Cruze, outselling the fourth-placed Commodore, as we predicted). Other than the Commodore and Nissan's Navara, all the vehicles in the top ten were either small or light-segment vehicles.

Despite that, according to VFACTS, light, small, large and upper large segments all registered shrinking sales, year on year. Medium, Sports and People Mover segments were the only ones to see an improvement, proving percentages are just not to be trusted.

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