Australian new car sales in 2017 set a new sales record, rising 0.9% over sales in 2016.

AUSTRALIAN NEW CARS sales totalled 1,189,116 in 2017, according to figures released by VFACTS today. It marks the industry’s fourth record in five years. A record December (102,820), up 4.1% on sales in December 2016, helped to achieve the slight annual growth.

FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said 2017 was the first full year in which sales of SAVs outstripped those of passenger cars. “Australians bought 465,646 SUVs during 2017 for a 39.2 per cent share of the total market, compared with 450,012 passenger cars with a 37.8 per cent share,” Weber said.

“The shift in industry dynamic we observed last year has now become entrenched in our market. It is a growth pattern that we expect will continue.”

Mr Weber said it was the fierce competition within the market place between brands which provided the momentum for growth in 2017. “Clearly Australian consumers recognise the value for money that is on offer in the new vehicle market, and responded accordingly,” Mr Weber said.

“To have eight record months out of 12 in 2017 speaks volumes for how brands successfully placed new products and incentives into the market which kept attracting buyers into the showrooms right through the year.”

The top-selling model for 2017 was the Toyota Hilux, for the second year in a row. It was also the top-seller in December with 3,949 sales, followed by the Holden Astra (3,533), the Ford Ranger (3,458), the Holden Colorado (3,222) and the Mazda3 (2,807). December saw SUVs and utes feature as six of the top 10 selling vehicles.

Toyota was top-selling brand of 2017 with an 18.2 per cent market share, followed by Mazda with 9.8 per cent, Hyundai (8.2%), Holden (7.6%) and Mitsubishi (6.8%).