HILUX REMAINS THE TOP DOG
THE new-car market continues to be plagued by ongoing supply issues, as the auto industry struggles to meet increasing buyer demand. In fact, overall new-car sales are well down in 2022 compared to the same time last year (-18,920 or -4.1 per cent). Delving deeper in to that segment, the PU/CC 4x4 market was down 7.8 per cent in May 2022 compared to May 2021 (16,285 sales versus 17,668), and down 0.3 per cent YTD (79,573 versus 79,803). The PU/CC 4x4 market still holds an 18.2 per cent share of overall sales.
“The global automotive industry continues to be plagued by a shortage of microprocessor units and shipping delays. This issue is not unique to Australia,” said FCAI chief executive, Tony Weber.
“Carmakers continue to report high demand across dealer showrooms and online marketplaces. Pandemic interruptions continue to impact manufacturing and conflict in Ukraine has disrupted vehicle component supply. Monthly sales figures are also dependent on shipping arrivals which continue to be uncertain. We do not expect supply chains to stabilise until these issues are resolved.”
The Toyota Hilux remains the best-selling 4x4 variant in Australia. In fact, when you combine 4x2 and 4x4 variants, the Hilux is the best-selling overall vehicle in Australia (5178 sales).
Ranger sales also remain steady as Ford runs out its current model in preparation for the next-gen model. When you combine 4x2 and 4x4 sales, the Ranger is the third best-selling vehicle in Australia (3751), proving Australia’s appetite for utes remains strong. Ford will be hoping it can avoid supply issues when the new Ranger goes on sale – especially the highly anticipated V6 diesel model.
Sales of the Landcruiser 300 Series have started to gain a bit of traction, after supply issues limited sales earlier in the year. A total of 1363 units left dealerships in May, up from 829 total in April. We expect that to continue as we head deeper in to 2022.
The Isuzu D-MAX and Mitsubishi Triton continue the battle to be Australia’s third favourite ute. The tit-for-tat rivalry heated up in May, with the D-MAX overtaking the Triton in the sales race with a strong showing for the month.