New vehicle sales report – September 2012

The monthly update from VFACTS brings word that 94,627 vehicles were sold in September, an increase of 9% (7,808 vehicles) on the same month in 2011.

Increases in the sales of hybrids helped to boost the result, so too the ongoing demand for SUVs. While government sales remain on the decline.

Toyota remains miles ahead of anyone else in overall sales, thanks to its 17,300 buyers. Mazda, though, has cracked the 10,000 monthly sales barrier for the first time (10,093) and found itself as the country’s second best selling marque last month. Holden (8,955) was demoted to third.

Year-to-date figures show 822,674 new sales have been recorded in 2012, 9.4% increase (70,546 vehicles) compared to the same period last year.

The high selling Mazda3 was Australia’s favourite purchase, with 4,276 September sales. The Toyota HiLux (3,479) was in second on the sales charts, ahead of the Hyundai I30 (3,144).

Strong niche market developing for alternative fuel vehicles

4 October 2012

New vehicle sales data released today show significant growth in the uptake of hybrid vehicles, albeit off a low base, and another strong month in overall vehicle sales.

Of the alternative fuel vehicles, passenger vehicles proved to be the most popular in September, growing by 191.4 per cent (3,371 units) compared with the same month in 2011 (1,697). Overall 9,461 hybrids have been sold since the beginning of 2012 compared with 6,143 for the same period in 2011.

Total vehicle sales for September maintained the growth observed since the beginning of this year. Overall, 822,674 vehicles (cars, SUVs, light commercials and trucks) have been sold since the beginning of 2012. This is a 9.4 per cent increase (70,546 vehicles) on sales for the first nine months of 2011.

The sales growth in September took place in the SUV (20.7 per cent), light commercial (10.7 per cent) and heavy commercial segments (12.4 per cent). Sales of passenger vehicle grew slightly (3.2 per cent) but this is still the largest vehicle segment with 52 per cent of sales overall.

Vehicle sales increased in every state and territory compared with the previous September, except South Australian sales which were down slightly (0.5 per cent) compared to last September. The ACT, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia all saw double digit growth in September vehicle sales compared to 2011.

On a month to month basis, 94,627 vehicles were sold in September 2012, an increase of 9.0 per cent (or 7,808 vehicles) on 2011.

Government purchases continued to fall: declining by 17.4 per compared to the same month last year, and by 10.6 per cent for the same nine month period in 2011. Sales of passenger vehicles to governments declined 31.2 per cent compared to September 2011.

Sales of locally manufactured vehicles weakened with 102,331 sold for the year to date, down 2.8 per cent from just over 105,000 this time last year.

Mazda3 regained the lead in September with 4,276 sales, relegating Toyota HiLux to second position with (3,479). A new entrant to the top five, Hyundai I30 (3,144), took third spot, with Toyota Corolla (3,133) fourth and Holden Commodore (2,532) fifth.

Toyota remained the best performing brand overall in September selling 17,300 vehicles, followed by Mazda with 10,093 and then Holden with 8,955.

Top 10 selling marques – September 2012

1. Toyota – 17,300
2. Mazda – 10,093
3. Holden – 8,955
4. Hyundai – 7,815
5. Ford – 7,764
6. Nissan – 6,228
7. Mitsubishi – 5,802
8. Volkswagen – 4,949
9. Subaru – 3,211
10. Kia – 2,744

Record Breaking Sales Keep Coming for Hyundai

In an industry record September that saw 94,627 new vehicles registered nationally, Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) finished in fourth position overall with 7,815 sales, an increase of +4.1% over the same month in 2011, to secure a total market share of 8.3% and a best-ever September sales month result since the brand launched in Australia in 1986.

In passenger car sales, Hyundai ranked third for the month with 6,213 vehicles sold and a market share of 12.6%, an increase of +13.2% from 5,484 vehicles sold in the same period last year.

September saw Veloster leading the Sports segment for an eighth consecutive month since launch, while the ix35 was placed first in the Small SUV category. Both New Generation i30 and iLoad placed second in their respective categories, while iMax finished third in the People Movers segment.

“Once again Veloster led the prestigious Sports car segment, and we are delighted to see ix35 achieve a first place in the very competitive Small SUV category. ” said Damien Meredith, Director of Sales, Hyundai Motor Company Australia. “In all, this is a great result for Hyundai as we enter the final sales quarter for the year.”

In the U.S., Hyundai Motor America (HMA) announced an all-time September sales record of 60,025 cars sold achieving a +15% increase, and a 25th consecutive year-on-year monthly sales increase.

Hyundai Motor Company recorded a September 2012 global sales result of 371,743 units compared to 359,447 sales, an increase of +3.4% for the same period 2011.

Hyundai’s Australian highlights include:

• Veloster ranked first in the Sports segment, posting a sales result of 328 units and a 19.6% segment share.
  
• ix35 ranked first in the SUV Small segment achieving 935 vehicle sales and a segment share of 18.8%.
  
• i30 ranked second best-selling Small car, posting a sales result of 3,144 units and a 13.9% segment share.
  
• iLoad ranked second in the Van/CC 2.5-3.5t segment, achieving 292 vehicle sales and a segment share of 21.9%.
  
• Elantra and i30 combined to place second in the Small car segment, with total sales of 3,739 and a combined segment share of 16.6%.
  
• Accent and i20 combined to place third in the Light car segment, with total sales of 1,455 and a combined segment share of 12.9%.
  
• iMax ranked third among People Movers, posting a sales result of 149 units and a 16.3% segment share

Top Ten September for Kia Motors Australia

Kia Motors Australia has finished the third quarter inside the top ten in new vehicle sales according to VFACTS figure released today.

Kia sold 2744 vehicles during September, over 500 more than the same month last year and is up 4431 sales in 2012 compared to January to September sales in 2011.

“All vehicles in the Kia range have received some Peter Schreyer magic and most have also benefited from local ride and handling input,” said Kia Chief Operating Officer, Tony Barlow.

“We are now in the process of making what were good cars even better, with a string of upgrades and facelifts over the next 12 months. We anticipate that Kia will continue to increase its stake in the market by continuously offering cutting edge technology and excellent drivability at an extremely competitive price.”

Kia’s passenger vehicle sales were up by 38.4% for the month and 24.7% for the first nine months when compared to 2011 figures.

Leading the charge was the Kia Cerato which achieved a second best month result of 833 sales up 12.1% compared to September last year and up 39.6% for the year so far.

Carsguide Car of the Year Winner, Kia Rio also had a strong month. Its 681 sales resulted in 5882 sales so far this year, an increase of 26.2% compared to the first nine months of 2011.

Good supply of Optima produced the model’s second best month result of 252 sales adding to a strong second year in the market for the stylish sedan, and an increase of 154.3% in terms of year to date sales.

Mazda Breaks Sales Record

Segment-topping performances from three different models have helped Mazda sell more than 10,000 new cars, SUVs and utilities in a calendar month for the first time, according to VFACTS figures released today.

Having retailed 10,093 cars in September, for a 10.7 per cent market share, Mazda has become the first full-line importer in Australian automotive history to break the 10,000 mark in a month.

The impressive figure was bolstered by Mazda’s most successful M-Day ‘One Day Once A Year’ sale, which helped to push Mazda2, Mazda3 and CX-5 to the top of their respective segments.

Mazda Australia has now sold a total of 77,862 new cars, SUVs and utilities year-to-date, which is only 10,471 cars short of its 2011 end-of-year record with three months of sales remaining.

With year-to-date increasing 18.1 per cent compared to the same time last year and a healthy 9.5 per cent market share, Mazda has strengthened its position as the country’s third best-selling automotive brand and number one importer.

Leading the charge was the ever-popular Mazda3, now with Bluetooth and USB connectivity as standard across the entire range, which sold 4,276 cars.

Not only was this the best sales month in the history of Mazda3, but it continues to top the small car segment and has maintained its position as Australia’s most popular car.

Supporting the Mazda3 was the CX-5 with a second-best ever monthly sales tally of 1,809, bringing total sales Y.T.D to 11,528 as Mazda also tops the medium SUV segment.

The Mazda2 topped the light car segment with 1,801 sales for the month, delivering its best-ever September sales result and the Mazda2’s third highest monthly total since the little hatch was launched in 2007.

With Mazda’s passenger cars having their best September sales results on record and CX-5 top of mind for many Australians, the BT-50 also continued to sell strongly with 1,124 sales. It was the seventh month this year where sales exceeded 1,000 units and total sales year-to-date now sit at 9,007.

Mazda Australia managing director, Doug Dickson said, “We are, of course, extremely pleased to have sold over 10,000 cars in September. It was a fantastic result driven by another very successful M-Day – our ‘One Day, Once a Year’ sale – which was embraced by our customers all over Australia. What is even more pleasing though is that our range of cars continues to appeal to a wide and interested audience. On record sales pace, we are looking forward to the remaining three months of the year.”

Spectacular September Sales Prompt Mitsubishi Motors to Extend 0.9% Finance Offer to include ASX and Outlander

During October Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) is offering customers a low 0.9% p.a. comparison rate* on all 12MY Lancers and Outlanders, along with all ASXs.

MMAL CEO, Mutsuhiro Oshikiri said the 0.9 percent comparison rate finance campaign run throughout September proved so popular, with total monthly sales up 21 percent on September 2011, it had been extended with Outlander, ASX and Lancer now available in conjunction with the offer.

“The 0.9 percent finance campaign generated a lot of interest over the past month with sales of Lancer reaching 1,315 units. As a result, we are extending the offer on 12MY Lancers until the end of October while also adding the versatile Outlander and popular city-sized ASX,” Oshikiri said.

“This offer gives customers the opportunity to buy a new Mitsubishi at a competitively low comparison rate on our already value-packed vehicles such as the popular ASX, which recorded its best-ever monthly sales result with 780 units in September.”

Mitsubishi vehicles included in the October 2012, 0.9 percent finance offer are:

• 12MY Lancer ES, ACTiV, VR, VRX, Aspire and Ralliart
• 12MY Lancer Evolution
• 12MY Outlander 4×2 and 4×4
• 12/13MY ASX 4×2 and 4×4

There are also great offers available throughout October on the top-selling Triton, with Triton GLX 4×4 from $34,990 drive away.* Triton was the second best-selling ute in September with a record 2,326 Triton 4×2 and 4x4s sold.

The 0.9 percent finance offer runs until October 31, 2012 and is available from 200-plus Mitsubishi Motors dealerships Australia-wide.

To find your nearest Mitsubishi Motors dealership visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au

September Sales Highlights:

• MMAL’s best-ever September volume as an importer with sales of 5,802, an increase of 21 percent over September 2011.
• Solid growth for Lancer with 1,315 units with the new LX model representing exceptional value for money.
• Sales of 584 Pajeros and 205 Challengers resulted in the best result in 10 years for MMAL in the Large SUV segment.
• ASX recorded the best monthly sales since launch with 780 units.
• September numbers for Triton totalled 2,326 across 4×2 and 4×4 models which resulted in an all-time record September.

*Conditions apply.

Nissan Continues to Accelerate Local Sales

Nissan Australia continues its 2012 sales climb with another strong retail result, this time in September.

The Japanese car maker delivered a total of 6,224 new cars in Australia, its highest September sales result as a full importer. It’s a record-setting achievement and five per cent higher than September last year.

In fact, Nissan Australia’s fiscal year (April-March) to-date new vehicle sales performance is an impressive 20 per cent above the same period last year. It clearly indicates the growing rate at which Nissan is successfully capturing local new car buyers.

“Nissan’s formula is simple,” said Bill Peffer, Managing Director and CEO of Nissan Australia. “Our focus remains firmly fixed on what matters to our customers: delivering innovative and exciting cars, offering attractive finance packages and continually marketing our latest offerings.”

Nissan’s September result was driven by a number of highlights.

The Nissan Dualis continues its climb in popularity. It grew 20 per cent compared to the same month last year. In fact, Dualis+2 models have grown 70 per cent fiscal year to date compared to the same period in 2011.

The Nissan Navara D22 grew 50 per cent compared to September last year.

The popular Nissan X-TRAIL enjoyed its best September sales month ever. Almost 1,500 examples were retailed, 37 per cent more than the same time last year.

The versatile Nissan Pathfinder enjoyed its best September sales result since 2006; it grew an impressive 80 per cent compared to September last year.

September showed that the Nissan Patrol wagon is still popular with Australian buyers, with more than 250 units retailed. Fiscal year to date, the Patrol wagon has grown 22 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Retail sales for the Nissan Maxima sedan totalled more than 130, a 16 per cent jump on its September 2011 result, and the new Nissan Almera continued its strong Australian entry with more than 180 sales.

Nissan’s Australian fleet operation continues under full power. Nissan Fleet delivered more than 2,000 new vehicles last month – eight per cent more than September last year – stretching its year to date sales growth to 36 per cent.

Nissan Financial Services also set a record of its own, achieving its highest number of settlements for a September. The company has just announced a generous zero per cent comparison rate offer for the entire Nissan Micra*, Nissan X-TRAIL^ and Nissan Navara D40^ model ranges that’s sure to fuel Nissan’s local sales momentum.

Nissan’s Australian sales push is expected to remain strong. The company will soon commence a series of exciting new model releases. The coming 18 months will see more than a dozen new and updated models join its Australian new vehicle catalogue.

For more information about Nissan’s range of innovative and exciting cars visit www.nissan.com.au.

Opel Joins the Market with a Healthy Sales Start in Australia

In its first month of sales, Opel has delivered 174 units in September with the return of the Astra nameplate leading the way.

According to official VFACTS figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Opel achieved a spread of sales across the line-up. The Astra nameplate led the way with 100 units for the month (62 Astras and 38 GTCs), complemented by 30 Corsas and 44 Insignias.

Head of Sales and Aftersales for Opel Australia, Nick Angelis said the initial result from the brand was a positive start.

“Introducing a new brand is a huge exercise and to be able to record 174 units for our first month in the market is a very healthy start. Our sales results show a spread across the board with the Astra as we expected leading the way. We’re now on the road and looking forward to growing the brand with our dealer partners,” Mr Angelis said.

September also saw the kick-off of Opel’s integrated marketing campaign which included wide-spread outdoor and print campaigns, two television commercials and the hugely popular Opel Advent Garage competition hosted on Facebook. Opel’s next milestone event in Australia will be its debut at the Australian International Motor Show.

“We’re looking forward to attending our first Australian Motor Show in Sydney later this month. We will have a seven car stand and are excited to be revealing at the show a new addition to our line-up, set to arrive early next year,” Mr Angelis said.

For more information on Opel and to find your closest dealership visit, www.opel-australia.com.au.

Toyota heads for decade at the top

Toyota is on track for its 10th consecutive year as Australia’s best-selling automotive brand, according to official figures released today.

At the three-quarter mark of the year, Toyota has a practically insurmountable lead of 73,700 sales over its nearest rival – or more than twice the margin it held at the same stage in 2011.

So far this year, Toyota dealers have sold more than 159,111 cars, SUVs and light-commercial vehicles to local buyers.

The total is 21.1 per cent ahead of the same stage last year – a growth rate that is more than double the pace of the overall market.

It means Australians have bought an average of 580 new Toyota vehicles every day during the first nine months of 2012.

That is almost 270 vehicles a day higher than those delivered by dealers of the next-best brand.

LandCruiser Prado is a stand-out contributor with sales up 56.5 per cent to 13,239 – already well ahead of the 10,849 sold for the whole of last year.

Other significant sales increases compared with the same period last year include Tarago (34 per cent), Kluger (32.2 per cent), HiLux 4×4 (23 per cent), Camry (22.9 per cent) and RAV4 (22.7 per cent).

Toyota Australia’s divisional manager national sales Chris Beuth attributed the company’s success to decades of hard work.

“Toyota has developed an extensive line-up of locally built and imported vehicles – many of which have been leaders in their market segments over many years,” Mr Beuth said.

“We have a dedicated workforce around Australia, including the passionate people who build Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion at Altona in Melbourne’s west.

“We also have an extensive national dealer network that can offer the best sales, service and other requirements for buyers of new and used vehicles.

“All of these factors contribute to the remarkable loyalty of Toyota customers – and I would like to thank them for their continued support.”

Toyota has been Australia’s best-selling brand 15 times: 1991-94, 1998 and 2000, before holding market leadership consistently since 2003.

Looking at individual months, Toyota has been market leader for 88 of the past 90 – a run broken only by production disruptions caused by last year’s Japan tsunami.