The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has unveiled the new vehicle sales statistics for the month of May, depicting another tough month for new car Dealers as the effects of COVID-19 continue to linger.

New car sales were down 35.3 per cent for the month, the largest decline in May sales since records were kept, with 59,894 vehicles sold.

The result marks 26 consecutive months of negative growth for the market, who has witnessed devastating bushfires, tightening lending conditions, a global pandemic and now global political uncertainty in recent times.

Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI

However, there does appear to be some green-shoots beginning to emerge from the chaos, with FCAI chief executive, Tony Weber, cautiously optimistic that the introduction of the Instant Asset Write Off initiative and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions would slowly bring consumers back to the show rooms as we head towards the end of the financial year.

“The instant Asset Write Off initiative has real potential to help stimulate the market, and we would like to see it extended in its current for beyond 30^th June 2020,” said Weber.

“Anecdotally, we may be beginning to see some ‘green shoots’ in the marketplace. With people venturing out a little more, dealers have advised of a slight uptick in floor traffic through dealerships.

“Additionally, we are hearing from some brands that website traffic is on the rise – a sure sign of increased purchasing interest.”

Toyota held its position as the most popular brand on the market, recording 14,466 sales to hold a 24.2 per cent share of the market. However, even with their popular range of hybrid vehicles, Toyota couldn’t escape the declining market, with sales for the month down 23.1 per cent form the same period 12 months ago.

Mazda held its position as the second most popular brand, recording 5,661 sales (down 34.0 per cent), while Hyundai overtook sister brand Kia to re-claim third spot with 4,109 sales (down 49.3 per cent). It was a disappointing month for Kia, who experienced a hot start to 2020, who were also overtaken by Ford, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen.

The battle for the top selling model once again came down to the Toyota HiLux and the Ford Ranger, with the HiLux coming out victorious with 3,527 sales (down 16.1 per cent). The Ford Ranger recorded 2,663 sales (down 32.9 per cent), while the Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Corolla completed the top 4.

Top 10 car brands – May 2020

1. Toyota: 14,466 – down 23.1 per cent
2. Mazda: 5,661 – down 34.0 per cent
3. Hyundai: 4,109 – down 49.3 per cent
4. Ford: 3,894 – down 32.7 per cent
5. Mitsubishi: 3,010 – down 41.2 per cent
6. Volkswagen: 2,781 – down 38.5 per cent
7. Kia: 2,760 – down 50.1 per cent
8. Nissan: 2,216 – down 44.2 per cent
9. Subaru: 2,023 – down 49.7 per cent
10. BMW: 2,013 – down 1.9 per cent

Top 10 car models – May 2020

1. Toyota HiLux: 3,527 – down 16.1 per cent
2. Ford Ranger: 2,663 – down 32.9 per cent
3. Toyota RAV4: 2,345 – down 19.6 per cent
4. Toyota Corolla: 1,626 – down 34.1 per cent
5. Mazda CX-5: 1,479 – down 29.6 per cent
6. Toyota Prado: 1,358 – down 23.5 per cent
7. Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series: 1,260 – down 9.9 per cent
8. Hyundai i30: 1,191 – down 58.9 per cent
9. Mazda3: 1,052 – down 55.4 per cent
10. Hyundai Tucson: 1,019 – down 40.4 per cent

Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

3 June 2020