VFACTS: Three months from the finish line, which car brands are doing best?

With quarter three of 2021 (July to September) closed off, we enter the final leg of the calendar year.

In a challenging year both locally and globally for all, what's been revealed is that Australian car market – including us buying new cars – are a resilient bunch.

Despite the challenging metro city lockdowns and ongoing global product supply shortages hampering sales, the total new car market is up 26.6 per cent as of September 2021 when compared to last year.

What's become clear is that brands with stock on the ground - the ones fending off supply chain issues as best they can - are 'conquesting' market share and growing their product portfolios.

It's why the official monthly Australian VFACTS sales figures should be carefully analysed. Some cars appear to be underperforming or just not selling – however it's because there's none on the ground, and not because the product isn't firing.

It also means that the nameplates kicking goals are likely selling because they're either readily available, or at least offered with short lead times.

Let's take a look at five of the best performing cars up until the end of quarter three, 2021.

Whether it's stock shortages forcing people into smaller cars, or lockdowns causing others to reconsider what they need, it's working for Kia.

Sales of the Kia Picanto micro car are up a staggering 87.7 per cent year-on-year, meaning Kia has sold 5132 examples as of September 2021. Compared to last year, the brand had sold just 2734.

Overall, the segment is enjoying some time in the sun. In total, 2673 more Australians have chosen to buy a micro car so far in 2021, or 6276 in total, versus 3603 as of September last year.

There's a lot to love in the Kia Picanto range too, with a sporty, turbocharged and manual-only GT model suited to those chasing fun, or the more affordable Kia Picanto S (available with an automatic), for the pragmatist.

Despite riding on a dated platform, the MG 3 maintains its dominance over the light car segment.

MG has sold 10,276 examples of its MG 3 as of September 2021, which is more than double last year's effort. It has seen the MG 3's total market share grow to 30.3 per cent of the 'light car' segment, but interestingly, from a base of just 19 per cent.

With the MG 3 being large player in a small segment by Australian standards – just 33,868 light cars have sold to date up until September 2021 – means its easy to deduce simply facts about the customers.

Whilst its sales have more than doubled and its market share not, it appears that around one-in-two purchasers of an MG 3 are likely newcomers to the segment. It's also likely they were not considering anything else of that size, or direct its competitors, either.

With its simple three-car offering starting from $17,990 drive-away nationally, it's also not hard to see why the product is cutting through.

The fact the Hyundai i30 is selling well may not surprise you, but how well it's actually selling just might.

From a model-based perspective, the big players in the market generally take time to either rise, or fall, from long-held positions. Cars like the Hyundai i30 represent one such dominant nameplate.

However, its performance year-to-date has likely impressed Hyundai head office, and left other subsidiaries a little worried, too. Nearly 20,000 examples have been sold so far in 2021, up from 15,260 last year.

Its growth figure of 25.4 per cent - on top of big sales figures - proves that the South Korean brand is one of the few that's steadily flowing cars into the country and getting them to customers quick-sharp.

With Hyundai Motor Group's global vertical supply chain strategy likely paying dividends, if you're after a car quickly, the Hyundai i30 could be the answer.

Here we have a feel-good tale. After years of decline, we're finally seeing green shoots in the medium car segment.

Unsurprisingly however, it first appears that it's coming from the premium 'medium car over $60,000' battleground, where desire, lust and high-performance products run wild.

However, when you think Lexus IS, you don't generally think emotion and soul. Despite any preconceived notions, the new Lexus IS range is up a massive 159 per cent in 2021.

Over a thousand examples have sold up until September 2021, with those customers picking a sedan body style over the ever-popular SUV shape.

The new and heavily-revised Lexus IS worth checking out if you're keen on a fine, rear-wheel drive sedan that's still engaging to use on the daily grind. However, it won't stick around for long, with new safety regulations set to kill the model before the end of this month.

Lastly, we finish with proof that some Australians are prospering despite the wider economic trend.

Bentley sedan sales are up 31.3 per cent, or from 16 cars last year to 21 this year, and up until the month of September. Given the only four-door sedan Bentley sells is Flying Spur, all cars must be of that ilk.

The starting price for such an automobile is near the half-million dollar mark, meaning few ever arrive on our shores regardless of the wider situation.

For some, the indulgence has likely been worth the wait – as nearly all of those cars would've been one-off specifications and bespoke factory orders.

Which car's sales performance has surprised you most? Let us know in the comments below.