Ford rules the roost as Ranger tops new vehicle sales figures

RIDING on the back of a 19.6 per cent increase in sales, year-on-year, the Ford Ranger has surpassed the dominant Toyota HiLux, which is in the middle of a model refresh, and previous top seller RAV4.

In a market still struggling to keep its head above water, with new vehicles sold in September falling to a new low (more than 21 per cent down on last year), it’s the ute market that is making a resurgence, with the Triton also in at number nine.

Between them sits the Hyundai i30, Mazda CX-5, Toyota LandCruiser, Kia Cerato and Toyota Corolla, with the Hyundai Tucson rounding out the top ten.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body for the automotive industry, advises the September 2020 new vehicle sales figures also showed a 20.5 per cent drop in sales, year to date.

Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, stated that while the market remains slow, the industry was hoping to see an increasingly positive trend as barriers to purchase are eased and consumer confidence returns.

“First of all, we are seeing COVID-19 health restrictions across Australia, and particularly in metropolitan Melbourne, continue to ease,” he said.

“Another sign that the market may improve is the announcement by the Federal Government last week of an easing of lending conditions for private buyers and small business in Australia,” he added.

“Freeing up restrictions around financial lending will act as a stimulus for Australian industry.”

Restrictive lending practices have been one of the major factors contributing to the declining new vehicle market which has seen 30 consecutive months of decreasing sales in Australia.

This market regression has also been attributed to a number of other factors including natural disasters, unfavourable exchange rates and economic uncertainty.

During the month of September, 17,720 passenger vehicles were sold, representing 25.7 per cent of the total market. SUVs claimed 47.3 per cent of the market with a total of 32,647 sales.

Light commercial vehicles (utes) claimed 22.9 per cent of the market with 15,772 sales. In the brand stakes, Toyota was the top seller, with 12,936 sales, followed by Mazda with 7,000 sales, Hyundai with 5,273 sales, Kia with 5,092 sales, and Ford with 4,816 sales.