Car sales soften

NEW vehicle sales dropped by 3 per cent nationally last year as challenging economic conditions slowed the industry after a record 2017, new figures show. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries’ sales figures also showed a continued surge in demand for SUVs, which accounted for 43 per cent of the market in 2018. The top-selling HiLux recorded 51,705 sales, followed by the Ford Ranger (42,144), Toyota Corolla (35,320), Mazda 3 (31,065) and Hyundai i30 (28,188).