The final car sales results for 2923 have been released and it’s been a record year. This has been driven in part by filling the backlog of orders that built up during the Covid era.
Total sales exceeded 1.2 million vehicles delivered.
However global supply issues are still influencing sales, especially at Toyota, who were still the number one brand but with a reduced market share, due to the difficulty in getting vehicles here during the last part of the year.
They were followed by Mazda, Ford, Kia and Hyundai. The next five brands were Mitsubishi, MG, Tesla, Subaru and Isuzu Ute.
SUV sales accounted for almost 56% of sales, Light Commercial vehicles another 22.5%, passenger cars some 17.5% and the rest in heavy vehicles.
The top selling vehicle was the Ford Ranger, which just edged out the Toyota HiLux. Of the top ten selling vehicles for the year, three were Utes and the other seven were SUVs.
Petrol remains the dominant fuel source, followed by diesel, then hybrids. Electric cars accounted for around 7% of sales.
2024 will be interesting as some brands will carry for3ard strong order books and others have an oversupply of some models already.
This is a Motoring Minute
Im Rob Fraser
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Full Car Sales results for 2023
The Australian automotive market has achieved an unprecedented milestone, breaking all-time records for new vehicle sales in 2023.
A total of 1,216,780 vehicles were delivered during the year, the previous highest sales result of 1,189,116 was achieved in 2017.
Toyota was the top selling car brand with 17.7 per cent of the market while the top selling vehicle was the Ford Ranger (63,356). SUVs and light commercials accounted for 78.4 per cent of sales and comprise all the top 10 vehicles sold in 2023.
Battery electric vehicles accounted for 7.2 per cent of sales with combined battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles achieving 196,868 sales or 16.2 per cent of new vehicle sales.
FCAI Chief Executive, Tony Weber, said this record-breaking achievement underscores the dynamic and competitive nature of Australia’s automotive landscape, providing consumers with an extensive array of choices across various price brackets.
“This extraordinary result is a testament to the adaptability and resilience of both industry players and consumers alike. Despite the supply chain disruptions faced in recent times, consumers now have greater access to a broad range of choices, fostering increased accessibility in the market,” said Mr. Weber.
Changes coming in 2024 to fuel standards.
As we look ahead to 2024, the FCAI is optimistic that the Federal Government will act and introduce a Fuel Efficiency Standard that achieves the policy outcomes that lead to emission reductions while enabling Australians to drive the vehicles that they need and want. Availability and affordability of products across all market segments will be the key to a successful Fuel Efficiency Standard.
“For more than a decade, the FCAI has been encouraging Governments to introduce a Fuel Efficiency Standard. Now we have the process underway it’s critical that the Federal government takes time the to get it right. That is essential for environmental outcomes and for consumers.”
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, Mr. Weber expressed optimism about the industry’s future in 2024 while acknowledging potential challenges.
“This is a tremendously exciting time for the industry. Consumers have a wide choice of vehicles available to meet their work, recreation and family needs that come equipped with the latest advancements in engine technology, safety features and advanced driving, navigation and entertainment aids.
“As we celebrate this historic achievement, we recognise that the automotive sector will face challenges in the coming months. Cost-of-living pressures and increased interest rates will impact the market, and we anticipate a challenging 2024.
“The FCAI will continue its work with governments and other industry stakeholders during 2024 to manage a broad range of issues ranging from emissions standards, environmental impacts, logistics and supply chains, taxation, vehicle safety, data use and recharging infrastructure,”
Key Points December 2023:
- The December 2023 market of 98,544 new vehicle sales is an increase of 10,624
vehicle sales or 12.1% against December 2022 (87,920). There were 24 selling days in December 2023 compared to 25 in December 2022 and this resulted in an increase of 589.2 vehicle sales per day. - The Passenger Vehicle Market is up by 1,304 vehicle sales (8.7%) over the same month last year; the Sports Utility Market is up by 3,180 vehicle sales
(6.5%); the Light Commercial Market is up by 6,094 vehicle sales (31.2%) and the Heavy Commercial Vehicle Market is up by 46 vehicle sales (1.1%) versus
December 2022. - Toyota was market leader in December, followed by Ford and Mazda. Toyota led Ford with a margin of 9,455 vehicle sales and 9.6 market share points.
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