Australian new car sales figures have recorded a decline for the 18^th consecutive month according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) for September.

September saw 88,181 new vehicles sold, a decline of 6.9% compared to the same time last year where 94,711 new cars were sold.

This figure is the worst September result since 2011, when 86,819 vehicles were sold.

With new car sales showing a decline for every month so far in 2019, FCAI CEO Tony Weber insists the economic conditions currently being experienced in Australia have created a difficult climate for dealerships.

“It is clear the slower sales rate the market is experiencing is in line with the broader economic environment in Australia,” said Weber.

“Of particular concern to the industry is the restrictive regulatory lending conditions currently facing consumers.

“The question has to be asked – are these results telling us we have made it too difficult for people to finance basic purchases in today’s Australia?”

SUVs continue their dominance of the market, with 41,861 SUV models sold for the month (up 1.1% on September 2018), led by the Mitsubishi ASX which sold 2,419 units.

Toyota was once again the best-selling manufacturer despite a 12.8% decrease in sales, recording 15,166 units sold.

In a glimmer of positive news, Mitsubishi climbed to second place in the manufacturer’s rankings, recording a 17.9% increase in sales on the back of strong Triton and ASX sales. Mitsubishi registered 8,990 sales to overtake Mazda (8,168 sales) and Hyundai (7,245 sales).

Holden, on the other hand, recorded its worst sales month since 1948 to fall out of the top 10 manufacturers. The brand sold 2,863 units for a 38.4% decline to finish 12^th.

Looking at the state of Hybrid/Electric vehicles, sales continue to steadily grow, with 2,046 hybrid vehicles sold, while a further 366 pure-electric/plug-in hybrids sold.

Highest Selling Manufacturers List – September 2019

1. Toyota – 15,166
2. Mitsubishi – 8,990
3. Mazda – 8,168
4. Hyundai – 7,245
5. Kia – 5,128
6. Ford – 4,783
7. Nissan – 4651
8. Volkswagen – 3,816
9. Subaru – 3,502
10. Honda – 3,404

Highest Selling Models List – September 2019

1. Toyota HiLux – 3,364
2. Ford Ranger – 3,116
3. Mitsubishi Triton – 3,001
4. Hyundai i30 – 2,447
5. Mitsubishi ASX – 2,419
6. Mazda CX-5 – 2,355
7. Toyota Corolla – 2,219
8. Kia Cerato – 2,022
9. Nissan X-Trail – 1,769
10. Mitsubishi Outlander – 1,731

8 Oct 2019 

Original source: CarAdvice | VFACTS: September 2019 new car sales detailed