Vehicle buyers enjoy a field day in June

Media Release 4 July 2013

Vehicle buyers enjoy a field day in June

The motor vehicle sales industry continued its steady path to recovery in June with sales increases across all sectors. Used imported commercials led the way though, up an impressive 67 percent over the same month in 2012.

The new vehicle market of 10,722 units was up 621 units (6 percent) compared to June 2012. For the year to date, new vehicle sales of 54,533 units are up 4,684 units (9 percent), spearheaded by a strong market for commercial vehicles that is up 3,050 units (26 percent) so far in 2013. New passenger car sales are up by 4 percent for the year to June.

MTA spokesman Ian Stronach says, “June is always a busy month. Fieldays and the associated promotional activities that surround it now play a significant role in the performance of the market. The distributors made their sales intentions clear early, so with buyers well primed, the strong sales that followed were largely expected.”

New passenger car sales were led by Toyota who claimed a 19 percent share of the market, followed by Hyundai who achieved a 12 percent share and Holden who secured an 11 percent share. Toyota Corolla with sales of 416 units led the way in terms of individual models, followed by Toyota RAV4 with 343 sales and Hyundai Santa Fe with 312 sales.

Toyota also dominated a very strong commercial vehicle market with a 29 percent share followed by Ford with a 15 percent share and Nissan at 9 percent. It was very much a case of Fieldays being firmly in focus, with ute sales holding sway; Toyota Hilux topped the chart with sales of 665 units followed by the Ford Ranger with 416 sales and Nissan Navara with 286 sales.

Used imported car sales maintained their upward trend. Sales of 7,862 units were the second highest for the year so far, and 27 percent ahead of June 2012. For the year to date, sales of 45,640 used imported cars are up 21 percent.

Sales of 394 units saw Suzuki Swift as the most popular used import car, followed by Mazda Demio with 384 sales and Nissan Tiida which recorded 367 sales.

Stronach added, “It’s interesting that sales of used imports are strengthening in tandem with new vehicles. Local buyers are displaying a real appetite to upgrade and renew their vehicles; if that helps modernise the fleet overall, then that has to be a good thing.”

Despite an icy month in many parts of the country, on road motorcycle sales were also up compared to the same month last year. Overall sales of 418 units was up on June 2012 by 124 units (42 percent).

Sales success was shared across most categories, although bikes larger than 60cc were up 65 percent compared to a year ago. For the year to date, on road motorcycle sales are up by 569 units (20 percent). Honda dominated the on road motorcycle market in June with a 20 percent share of the market followed by Suzuki with a 13 percent share and Harley Davidson who took a 7 percent share.

ENDS

© Scoop Media