RANGER RULES 2019

THE Ford Ranger has stamped 2019 shut with a comprehensive victory on the 4x4 sales charts. The Blue Oval ute finished off the year with a total of 37,004 (4x4) sales, edging out its long-term nemesis – the Toyota Hilux – by a not insignificant 679 units. The Hilux was the best-selling 4x4 in 2018, but sales dropped in 2019 by 5.8 per cent; reflective of overall market trends.

Interestingly, Ford sold more Ranger 4x4s in 2019 than it did in 2018, bucking a trend in the market which saw a dramatic drop in new vehicle sales. Case in point, 90,244 fewer new vehicles were purchased in 2019 (a year-to-date drop of 7.8 per cent), and 12,337 fewer LCV vehicles were purchased during that same time. Despite the drop-off in sales, the LCV segment experienced annual growth of 0.6 per cent to claim a 21.2 per cent share of the overall new-vehicle market.

It was business as usual on the monthly 4x4 charts, with the Hilux, Ranger and Triton once again occupying the podium. Isuzu’s D-max also ended the decade with a flourish, shifting 1394 units in December and climbing to fourth spot on the charts.

The Toyota Hilux (4x2/4x4) was once again the best-selling vehicle on the annual charts, registering 47,649 sales in 2019. The Ford Ranger (4x2/4x4) closed out the year in second spot with 40,960 sales, while the Corolla trailed in with a total of 30,468 sales.

If the rumours of Ford adding V8 power to its local Ranger Raptor come true, buyers may chose to pocket their hard-earned in anticipation. It’ll be interesting to see how sales pan out in the immediate future … keep your eyes peeled!