The latest round of lockdowns in Victoria put the brakes on the new-car market’s recovery in July, with sales down by 12.8 per cent nationally for the month according to the latest VFACTS figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

72,505 vehicles were sold for the month, the worst July result in 18 years as the extended Federal Government’s $150,000 instant asset write-off scheme failed to re-create the influx of sales witnessed in June.

Toyota once again took out the most popular model for the month, however, in a surprising turn of events, it was not the ever reliable HiLux sitting atop the list.

The Toyota RAV4 claimed top spot for July, posting 4,309 sales as extra shipments of stock came in to ease the backlog of orders that has plagued the model since it was released last year.

Coming in behind the RAV4 was the Ford Ranger, which overtook the HiLux with 3,104 sales, while the HiLux sold 2,947 vehicles.

Both the Ranger and HiLux models suffered from supply issues in July due to strong than forecast results in June coupled with COVID-19 related production delays. However, both brands are optimistic of a resurgence in the second half of 2020 with updated editions of both models due.

The dominant result from the RAV4 saw Toyota once again named the most popular brand for the month, with 15,508 sales in total, well ahead of Mazda in second place (7,806 sales) and Mitsubishi in third (4,684 sales).

Kia (4,625 sales) and Volkswagen (3,710 sales) were the only brands in the top 10 to record a sales increase, finishing fifth and seventh respectively, while Hyundai suffered the largest decline out of the top brands, with sales falling 33.2 per cent to 4,634, good for fourth place.

Outside of the top 10, Audi celebrated a triumphant month, selling 1,315 vehicles, 53 per cent more than they sold in July 2019, while Holden sold just 1,113 vehicles as they continue to clear out remaining stock.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said that while disappointing, the result was not unexpected.

“The Australian automotive industry, like many sectors in the Australian market, continues to face challenging and difficult conditions, exacerbated by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Weber.

“The extended Stage 4 Restrictions which have now been invoked in Australia’s second largest market, Victoria, will no doubt further challenge the industry during the coming months.”

July’s figures take the year to date sales to 514,920, 19.2 per cent down from the same period in 2019.

Top 5 Brands for July 2020

1. Toyota | 15,508 sales | down 13.2 per cent
2. Mazda | 7,806 sales | down 5.1 per cent
3. Mitsubishi | 4,684 sales | down 10.7 per cent
4. Hyundai | 4,634 sales | down 33.6 per cent
5. Kia | 4,625 sales | up 2.6 per cent

Top 5 Models for July 2020

1. Toyota RAV4 | 4,309 sales | up 78.1 per cent
2. Ford Ranger | 3,104 sales | down 2 per cent
3. Toyota HiLux | 2,947 sales | down 12.7 per cent
4. Toyota Corolla | 2,192 sales | down 32.4 per cent
5. Hyundai i30 | 1,745 sales | down 22.5 per cent

Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

5 August 2020