New vehicle sales remain on a tricky trajectory after many top ten manufacturers report continued, if marginal, declines in October.
According to reported VFACTS sales supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, most key areas including total monthly, total yearly and several vehicle categories have failed to improve over respective segments compared with the same period in 2017.
Passenger sales are down nearly 8600 (down 23%) over October 2017, and light commercials barely break even at just 1% or 199 vehicles ahead of October 2017.
Tony Weber, FCAI
October’s 90,718 total sales are also in a continued slump from the 94,711 recorded in September’s market stumble. Last month was already more than 5000 sales off the equivalent period in 2017, but has been exacerbated by passenger sales only achieving 27,802 last month compared with the 36,396 in October 2017.
SUVs remain a saving grace, accumulating 39,849 reported sales, toppling the 36,871 of October 2017; keeping 2018’s year-to-date figure of 417,673 reported SUV sales a solid 33,204 – or 8.6% – ahead of 2017.
Toyota Hilux was the highest reported seller in October 2018 with 4401 reported sales, leading Ford’s outgoing Ranger (3511 units), the Toyota Corolla’s 2663 units, the Mazda 3 with 2094 units and 2049 reported Hyundai i30 units.
Every state reported sales declines, with a 0.3% exception for Tasmania, which sold six more cars in October 2018 (1876 units) than October 2017.
NSW was scalped 9%, Victoria fell 4%, Queensland took a 2.7% beating, South Australia lost 5%, WA dropped 1.7%, while the Northern Territory went walkabout 4.7% and the ACT 2% behind.
Market share leader Toyota has throttled back slightly on October 2017 sales this month, just 25 cars shy of the 17,836 monthly reported sales this time last year.
Hyundai has followed suit last month, finding itself 15.5% off the pace from October 2017 and nearly 1500 vehicles shy year-to-date, while Mazda, down 3.7% in reported year-to-date sales, held on by a whisker (1.5%) in October to the tune of just 118 cars up on October 2017.
Ford and Holden respectively remain below board in both monthly and year-to-date reported sales. Ford is down 7.3% (423 units) against October 2017 and 12% behind in year-to-date figures. GM Holden is the worse for wear however, down 32% last month compared with 2017, and over 27% behind its reported year-to-date sales of 2017. Holden did notch 605 more reported sales in October than September, as did Ford, which added 278 more units last month than in September.
Mitsubishi is fighting tooth and nail to report sales up 12% (6217 units) for October 2018 over October 2017 (5550 units), and 8.8% stronger in year-to-date reported sales (70,685 units) compared with the same time last year (64,957 units). Although Mitsubishi dropped 1405 sales compared with September’s reported figures.
Honda, with 43,604, remains nearly 6300 reported year-to-date sales ahead of 2017’s equivalent figures, although October 2018 was 20% down on October 2017.
Kia bucked the trend and coincidentally sits 7.7% (328 units) up on October 2017, and 7.6% (3532 units) up on its year-to-date figures of 49,957 in 2018 versus 46,425 in 2017.
Volkswagen lost 2.1% over October 2017, Nissan – which recorded one of the rare sales victories (up 29% Sept 2018 vs Sept 2017) last month was cut down to size in October by 7.1% (324 units); Subaru took a 6.4% hit, and little Suzuki is down 25.8% against October 2018.
With its swelling dealer network, MG managed to report a 747.6% sales increase for October 2018 over October 2017, to the sum of 356 cars over the 42 in 2017. The brand’s 2323 reported year-to-date sales are also 361% up on the 1820 year-to-date efforts of 2017.
Ninety-four pure electric vehicles were sold last month, compared to 104 in October 2017.
FCAI chief executive Tony Weber acknowledges a softening market.
“Total sales so far in 2018 are a modest 1.3% below the same number during the 2017 record year,” he explains.
“This demonstrates that the market is broadly holding firm, despite evolving consumer preferences demonstrated through the shift from passenger vehicles to SUVs”, Weber says.
“Given the slowing housing market and the current drought, the overall result demonstrates the resilience of Australia’s competitive automotive market,” he adds.
