FCAI releases August new vehicle sales figures, showing Hybrids on the rise
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has released the August sales figures for new vehicles in Australia, with the market down 10% compared to the same time a year ago.
The result marks the 17th consecutive month of declining sales, with tighter lending and a lack of consumer confidence believed to be the main contributors to the lower sales numbers.
85,633 new vehicles left dealerships in the month of August, with SUVs counting for 45.6% of that figure. That brings the total number of new vehicles sold in 2019 to 723,823 units, down 8% on the same figure from 2018.
While sales have continued on a downward trend in 2019, FCAI chief executive, Tony Weber, insists now is the perfect time to buy for consumers.
“If I was a consumer, this is the time to buy because you’re never going to get a better deal than now,” said Weber.
“There is extensive product – there are almost 400 models in the marketplace, so competition is fierce, and pricing is competitive.”
Toyota was once again the leading manufacturer, recording 16,700 units sold with the HiLux, Corolla, RAV4 and Landcruiser all in the top 10 models sold for the month, followed by Hyundai (7,320 units sold) and Mazda (7,291).
Despite the generally poor results across the board, there was still a few rays of sunshine to be seen.
The Hyundai i30 saw a 21.1% growth in sales from August 2018, with 2,813 units sold, while the Toyota RAV4, available as a hybrid model for the first time, recorded similar results, growing by 19.1% for a total of 2,006 units sold.
In more positive news, petrol-electric hybrid vehicles saw a 55% increase in sales, with 2,847 hybrids hitting the roads for the month. With more manufacturers releasing additional electric and hybrid options to their fleets, this trend is expected to continue going forward.
Highest Selling Manufacturers List – August 2019
- Toyota – 16,700
- Hyundai – 7,320
- Mazda – 7,291
- Mitsubishi – 6,242
- Ford – 4,916
- Kia – 4,662
- Nissan – 4,538
- Volkswagen – 4,100
- Holden – 3,569
- Subaru – 3,553
Highest Selling Models List – August 2019
- Toyota HiLux – 3,674
- Ford Ranger – 3,181
- Toyota Corolla – 2,863
- Hyundai i30 – 2,813
- Toyota RAV4 – 2,006
- Mazda 3 – 1,999
- Toyota Land Cruiser – 1,916
- Mazda CX-5 – 1,797
- Mitsubishi Triton – 1,755
- Nissan X-Trail – 1,743
Original source: Caradvice | Vfacts: August 2019 new car sales detailed
5 Sep 2019
