SHED: 2017 NISSAN PATROL TI-L

THE FORD Ranger has started 2018 where it left off at the end of last year, by topping the 4x4 sales charts. With January 4x4 sales counted, the Ranger outsold its biggest competitor, the Toyota Hilux, by just 12 units. There’s then daylight between the next-best 4x4, Nissan’s Navara.

Significant growth in the Light Commercial (LCV) segment saw sales increase by 20.3 per cent overall (compared to January 2017 figures). In fact, 4x4 LCV sales were up a substantial 26.6 per cent.

Tony Weber, the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), suggested the strong sales growth was indicative of the tough competition within the market segments. “2017 was a record year for the industry and we’re pleased to see that strength continuing in the January 2018 sales results. Notably there was very strong growth in business sales of SUVS and Light Commercials,” Weber said.

LCV Business purchases were up 26.7 per cent over the 2017 comparative sales, while private purchases were up 11.1 per cent.