The Australian automotive industry has started 2010 on a positive note with a significant increase in the number of new vehicles sold during January.
Official VFACTS data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows that 74,864 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were sold in January, up 11.6 percent (7785 vehicles) on the same month in 2009.
The Holden Commodore was the highest selling new vehicle, increasing 5.9 percent year-on-year to post 3241 sales.
The Mazda3 ran a close second ahead of Toyota’s Hilux and Corolla and Ford’s Falcon in fifth.
Top 10 sales by model:
- Holden Commodore – 3241
- Mazda3 – 3223
- Toyota Hilux – 2997
- Toyota Corolla – 2711
- Ford Falcon – 2318
- Holden Cruze – 2218
- Hyundai i30 – 2116
- Hyundai Getz – 1717
- Mitsubishi Lancer – 1588
- Toyota Yaris – 1562
Toyota retained the top selling position with a market share of 19.5 percent followed by Holden with 14 percent and Ford with nine percent.
Top 10 sales by marque:
- Toyota – 14,564
- Holden – 10,468
- Ford – 6730
- Mazda – 6658
- Hyundai – 6208
- Nissan – 4144
- Mitsubishi – 4040
- Subaru – 3260
- Honda – 3006
- Volkswagen – 2337
FCAI Chief Executive, Andrew McKellar, said an industry-wide increase of around 12 percent was a strong result that would provide the market with a confidence boost heading into 2010.
“Business purchases remained strong in January with some buyers taking delivery of vehicles ordered last year under the Federal Government’s business tax break,” Mr McKellar said.
He said new car affordability was better than ever and had been further enhanced by the tariff cut on many imported vehicles.
“New car buyers have effectively been handed a ‘tax cut’ and many brands have moved quickly to reduce prices or increase vehicle specifications.
“As a result, it is expected that this will encourage private buyers to return to the marketplace in greater numbers throughout the year,” he said.
The industry experienced a significant shift towards larger vehicles compared to 2009.
The SUV Luxury segment increased by 51.4 percent to 1812 vehicles led by the BMW X5 (286 sales, 16 percent share) and the Audi Q5 (242, 13 percent).
People movers also soared 49.5 percent on the back of 274 Kia Carnival sales (up from 138 in 2009) which had a 30 percent share of the market.
SUV compact (up 23.1 percent), medium (up 26.6 percent) and large (up 17.2 percent) were all strong in January, as was the Sports segment (up 29.6 percent) and large cars (up 16.9 percent).
Surprisingly, light and small cars increased by the smallest margins (1.9 percent and 2.6 percent respectively). Their sales were still extremely strong, however, cumulatively accounting for 18,035 units which made up 29.8 percent of all non-commercial new vehicles sold.
The medium segment was the only one to lose ground, sliding 2.2 percent to 5449 sales.
The market-leading Toyota Camry had a solid month with 1201 sales as did the second-place Subaru Liberty (up 37 percent to 654), but the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro both went backwards.
Locally manufactured vehicles accounted for 9741 of the 74,864 sales (13 percent), trailing 26,311 from Japan, 13,130 from Korea and 10,777 from Thailand.
Look out Ford, here come Mazda and Hyundai.
Ford Still have a 13.4% stake in Mazda, it’s not all bad news ;)
Honda is dead in the water.40% decrease when everybody else went up.hyundai had twice their sales.now a know aust is not a big market,but it must be a concern
The head of Honda Australia is a guy from Tokyo. Based on the overpriced Honda cars and massive decline of Honda sales here, it shows that he doesn’t have a clue.
Honda cars are not just overpriced, they’re significantly under-featured. Not a single model in the line-up has Bluetooth standard, in fact you can’t even get is as an option in the Legend. And forget about technologies such as standard iPod connectivity, USB input, DVD, rear view cameras, etc in most of the model line-up. They’ve failed to keep up with the competition and are now paying the price.
Top class result from Holden with Australia’s favourite Commodore, Captiva, Barina and especially Cruze performing excellently in the marketplace.
As big a gap between 2 and 3 as between 1 and 2: If I were Ford i’d be more worried about Hyundai than Mazda.
Predictions – Toymotor to go down(and fast), Hyundai and Holden (Cruze to continue to improve sales figures and will eventually overtake Corolla) to go up, and Mazda (on sales of 3) to linger in top 4.
Unsure of Ford as Falcon sells reasonably well, however rest of lineup not doing that well.
“The industry experienced a significant shift towards larger vehicles compared to 2009.”
Good news for our local manufacturers, both Ford and Holden with quality large cars that deserve to sell well.
You don’t work for Holden do you poohbear?? “Top class result from Holden with Australia’s favourite Commodore, Captiva, Barina and especially Cruze performing excellently in the marketplace.”
In any case, I great effort from Hyundai too.
Their new products are really attracting attention.
Nope, just pointing out the fact that those models did particularly well
Imagine where the Cruze would be if it had a decent engine.
Word is, there could be a 1.4T or 1.6T unit coming out of the US later this year or next.
It would fall inline with Holden’s eco aspirations anyway.
Whats wrong with the engine? Remember, we dont get it yet here.
I would rephase that:
“imagine if it was a decent car”, instead of an extremely successful marketing campaign combined with a very strong brand, backed by the subconscious need from people to back the local brand, even with an imported model.
This car is much better than than the hatred for Holden in this thread would allow people to believe. Customer satisfaction is high, build quality is high and the diesel powered variant is more than powerful enough. Safety kit is excellent for the money.
Selling something short because you have a hatred for a manufacturer doesn’t wash with anyone and yet there are still quite a few people in here that do it.
The single biggest weakness in the car is the petrol engine and yet reading another forum ,the majority of those that own the petrol are still happy with it. That 2218 sales for January also shatter the claims by some posters that they are all going to fleets. I’d own one no problem . I’d take it with the diesel in that brilliant blue they do.
There is a much bigger problem with people on this site blindly following a brand than people blindly hating a brand. The Cruze is arguably the best ever Daewoo, not saying much but they are trying. Personally I think its way too overstyled, looks heavy and the interior has a ‘try-hard’ feel to it – like its trying to be upmarket but cheap underneath. I still dont trust Daewoo mechanically either as they have yet to produce a car without serious faults – Cruze might be the first one but I wouldnt want to risk that much money on a Daewoo until they have proven they can make a decent car that doesnt fall to bits after 12 months.
Check it out, haters. Commodore is STILL the No.1 car.
The game has changed – not! HA HA
Number one because Holden butcher the profit margin in Omega’s and Fleet’s love them.
(click to show comment)
Bent,
Holden Dealerships typically have arrangements with organizations or leasing companies that mean they buy back the Car from the purchaser (leaser) after X amount of KM’s or a time frame. This way, they never really lose the car or the profit.
Sell the car at X make little or no profit, buy the car back at a lower price and then sell it off as a 2nd Hand Holden Certified and in the process make more or the same profit on the car then they could have selling it new, privately.
One of the best forms of Marketing is to get the car on the road. The more on the road, the more people percieve it as popular thus “good”.
In any Fleet Sales department, the pricing is never, ever as good as private.
Holden take it on the chin because they move stock and still make a profit of some sort plus typically get the car back at some stage.
One other thing, I used to work in the industry and had Friends who Sold Holden’s…They hated selling fleet as the commission structure works differently to private.
And whats wrong with that. What you refer to is sale and lease back. Nearly all large business do it. Holden are smart in how they market their cars, they dont care if the customers are idiots. What they want is bums on seats. The more Commodores on the road, the more free marketing thus more sales. It is a business at the end of the day.
I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it Shak. It’s smart and it works and makes the figures look good hens earning the title “Australia’s Favorite Car” even if it’s not a private sale.
You’ll find all the major manufacturers have similar arrangements. That’s business. Ford do it. That’s why you see ads in the paper periodically for a group of Falcons at $22,888 with full factory warranty. This is of course an example. The point is that they all do it. It’s a buy back lease arrangement and is typically done to shift slow stock.
And Holden can afford to cut more out of their cars than Ford Callous.
It’s a corporate tender to lease. Simple. Holden cut more margin out and win the tender.
Lets see how the year pans out. Total vehical Sales are up 11.7% but the Commodore in only up 5.9%. So in comparison its actually down 5.8%
More interesting is the Corolla which has lost a lot of ground to the Mazda 3.
And the Big Mac is also the biggest selling burger in the country. In fact you’ll find a positive correlation between the number of McDonalds and Holden dealerships in particular suburbs.
Take the fleet sales out of all the top 10 and you would find the Mazda 3 miles in front…..
Hang on a minute….wasn’t Jan 2009 (the month being compared to) right in the middle of th GFC (Global Financial Crisis)?
A sales increase was a must have, should have and is the expected result – I am really not surprised.
My question is how much of January sales are attributed to delivery of the 50% tax break vehicles sold? February may be more of an effective indciator of the trend in new car sales, I would think…
Spot on!
Bent, Holden dont make a profit, thus no margin to speak of. Even worse if they were not given millions of dollars each year by the government (via ACIS or government fleet buyers). Do the sums, three Australian manufacturing plants, sold the equivalent of 15000 cars last month (including local sales and exports). The ideal efficiency for a plant is estimated at about 350 to 400,000 cars a year (quotas aimed for most japanese and american plants). Not competitive at all. Obviously certain people need it all in plain simple language like showing that the heads of australian car companies (and their executives) are being subsidised by taxpayers to extract exhoibitant wages, whilst not being compettive with their overseas rivals. How do I get a job like that
Your spot on Andrew.
The OZ auto industry gets propped up by the govt because its cheaper than the cost of jobs losses if plants were shut down.
ie closed plants would mean the double problem of no tax revenue coming in and social security payments going out.
Thats because the Japs export everywhere in the world and have to make that many cars to even break even. Think about how many Commodores and Camrys were exported overseas last years. And which overseas car maker does not recieve subsidies from their Home governments. if they didn’t, their sales would not be enough to prop them up.
I get a good laugh when people complain about the local car industry getting assistance from the tax payer.
Every manufacturing country protects there own in on way or another you don’t think that the registration system in Japan isn’t the way it is to artificially inflate the numbers of car manufactured and sold within that country.
If you want manufacturing you have to support it and if you can’t understand why we need manufacturers and heavy industry in this country then you are blind to the greater world and to history.
The Best Selling Product doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best Product Available…
Look at VHS vs Beta-Max!! :-)
and Toyotas
Trump, The australian government is planning to hand out about 400 million dollars a year in ACIS. Not to mention the many hundreds of millions it is giving to car companies to make cars (35 million to Toyota to make ahybrid, 120 million to Holden to make the Cruze). The actual car manufacturing sector in Australia only employs 30000 people (0.2 percent of the australian working population). Thats roughly $13000 per employee Doing basic maths, would it not be cheaper to pay these $10,000 a year in unemployment. On top of this, Ford and Holden dont make profits, so they are so inefficient, its almost criminal. For this privelage of Subsidising these people, each australian has to pay an extra $700 for each car they buy each year. Car production in Australia may assist 0.2 of the population, and a few politicians, but it is wealth destroying for 99.8 percent of the australian population.
Could you imagine the the political backlash from voters for any Government that had Holden or Ford go tits-up on their watch? Mitsubishi, I think, wasn’t as endeared to the constituency as much as the Aussie twins, so it disappeared with nary a farewell wave. But the red and blue…? I sincerely doubt the Governments, State and Fed, would dare let them fold.
I’m no Holden apologist, but I think Holden were on track to deliver a profit last financial year, but they had to pay a bunch of one-off costs which ate into their black.
“Reuss said GM-Holden had a small after-tax net profit of $6.6 million for the year ending December 31 before a series of special, on-off charges wiped this out.”
Holden hasn’t made a profit in six years… quite embarassing that Chinese international students contribute more to our economy than Government Motors Holden…
Andrew, there are important reasons why the governemnt supports the local industry,
1/ An educated and progressive workforce.
2/ Stronger R&D commuinties throughout local business networks.
3/ Production ready factories in time of war.
It’s not always about dollars and cents people.
i wonder if the trouble’s with toyota overseas affects local sales here…will b interesting……even though the cars are ok here
Prius recall on the horizon.
japanese transport ministry in the middle of this one. US government talking fines for the fact they had to be forced to issue the first recalls. Toyota wont risk being seen to try cover this one up you can be sure they recall this one.
Drive reporting 270,000 Prius recall for US and Japan.
That brings the total to 8,370,000 Toyotas recalled worldwide.
I will be interesting to seee where Toyota finishes the year as they self destuct thru 2010!
Have you stopped your Toyota lately? lol
It’s interesting that all the attention in here is on Holden. How many of you think Ford Australia are making a profit selling fewer than 2,000 cars a month? Hands up who doesn’t think Holden are cleaning up with the Cruze having made what appears to be a smart move to source cars out of Korea?
Hands up again if you think their engine plant isn’t exporting the V6 in numerous variations in record numbers? Holden aren’t doing as bad as some of you claim.
Also I read in another thread in this site that people are buying Hyundais only because they are cheap. So why then did the i30 outsell the Getz? The Australian public aren’t as stupid as many make out. The i30 is slowly but surely closing the gap on the Corolla. Toyota must be starting to get a tad nervous at least. I’ve had a look at the i30 inside and out and the finish is top rate. That is why people are buying it. it is easy to look at, well built and well priced.
Where’s the Camry in that top 10?
Personally ,I think it would be a shame if either Ford or Holden went ar$e up and I certainly ain’t biased to one or the other. What I do get annoyed with is the ridiculous comments from people who are. Credit where it is due.
Last month Toyota made a big song and dance about the strong sales of the Hilux. it was the result of price cutting and a 50% tax break as part of the stimulus package from the govenment.
Again, where is the Camry in the top 10? Maybe the tide is starting to turn and people are waking up.
The way I see it, the i30 diesel has no competitor in the market – its that good. I cant figure out who would buy a petrol i30 after driving both. I havent driven a Cruze diesel but from the reviews I dont think the engine is up to Hyundai standards. 6 speed trans and 2.0lt displacement are a plus to Cruze but I wouldnt buy a Daewoo until they can build one properly.
Robin
I totally agree with you I find it very unfortunate that I see so many petrol i30′s, I just think it’s the old stigma of ‘the dirty stinking diesel’ that is the biggest issue……..
If the general publics perception of diesel could be changed I have no doubt the i30 could easily surpass the Corolla etc etc. Too many people are misguided and just make a bee line for the petrol………
I haven’t driven a Cruze but the figures for the Diesel aren’t overly impressive compared to similar capacity diesels in the market. However it smashes the Petrol Cruze.
Regards
Whitbomb07
Because the petrol i30 is $2500 cheaper.
It’s worth every cent of that $2500.
Regards
Whitbomb07
You are right, the Honda MD has no clue. He is too busy with the Chinese and Korean hostesses.
Reminds me of one classic staff party where he turned up with one on each arm!
Doesn’t surprise me…the guy’s nicknmae was Mad Dog – the Dealer’s friend (Mazda Dealers that is).
Luv Local, If the government thinks the way you are thinking, then we are certainly in trouble. Have you visited a an australian car plant lately. Taken Holdens Elizabeth Plant for example. In time of war, they could probably build umm umm commodores for the army. Plants are not set out like they were 60 years ago. To build anything of a defence value, you would have to gut the plant. In fact a vacant car plant would have more use in time of war. As for R&D, Coles supermarkets spend more on R&D when they replace their checkout chicks with unmanned stations, than car plants will spend this year (even with government subsidies). And remember, its not really R&D when you import the part from Asia (along with the instruction booklet), and assemble in australia. If that was R&D, the government should direct its R&D subsidies to IKEA. Five percent of your car assembly workforce may involve more than IKEA like occupations. Thus thats 5% of 30,000 = 1500 people, that equals about the well educated teachers at 30 schools. I bet you can pick the 30 best funded schools in australia and i can assure you they arent getting 600 million a year in governnemt subsidies. Governments arent using the money to make us a smarter nation, they are subsidsing weakness, and making the rest of us weaker.
Anybody know what private buyers buying? I can get info on that what people buying in Germany but not here. Here is what is the best seller and what people buying.
1 VW Golf, Golf Plus, Jetta 366,231
2 VW Polo 109,005
3 Opel Corsa 106,980
4 Opel Astra 104,750
5 Skoda Fabia 103,645
6 Ford Fiesta 102,571
7 VW Passat 84,729
8 Mercedes C-Klasse 77,394
9 Audi A4 75,341
10 BMW 3er 72,288
11 Audi A3 72,238
12 BMW 1er 71,400
13 Ford Focus 64,225
14 Fiat Panda 59,114
15 Peugeot 207 58,222
16 VW Touran 55,913
17 Mercedes A-Klasse 54,622
18 Skoda Octavia 54,335
19 VW Caddy 53,175
20 Fiat Grande Punto 53,111
21 Dacia Sandero 51,292
22 Mercedes E-Klasse 50,867
23 Seat Ibiza, Cordoba 45,878
24 VW Tiguan 44,513
25 Toyota Yaris 42,638
26 Mercedes B-Klasse 40,791
27 Renault Clio 37,502
28 Opel Insignia 36,347
29 BMW 5er 34,374
30 Smart Fortwo 33,973
and for private buyers
1 VW Golf, Golf Plus, Jetta 254,039
2 Skoda Fabia 93,606
3 VW Polo 90,199
4 Ford Fiesta 82,816
5 Opel Corsa 79,822
6 Opel Astra 68,918
7 Fiat Panda 53,104
8 Dacia Sandero 50,135
9 Peugeot 207 45,753
10 Fiat Grande Punto 43,776
11 Skoda Octavia 40,123
12 Toyota Yaris 38,180
13 Seat Ibiza 37,286
14 Audi A3 35,196
15 Mercedes A-Klasse 33,918
16 Ford Focus 33,054
17 BMW 1er 32,334
18 VW Touran 30,958
19 VW Caddy 30,758
20 Renault Clio 29,467
21 VW Tiguan 29,311
22 Dacia Logan 29,258
23 Mercedes C-Klasse 26,961
24 Renault Twingo 26,903
25 Hyundai i10 26,727
26 Toyota Aygo 26,412
27 BMW 3er 25,819
28 Audi A4 24,180
29 Ford Ka 23,326
30 Smart Fortwo 22,755
The figures is for Jan – Dec 2009