Australia January 2012: Holden Commodore not Holden’s best-seller for the first time since 1978, passed by Holden Cruze

Holden Cruze

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 50 best-selling models: click on the title to see! *

New car sales in Australia are up an encouraging 4% in January at 76,783 registrations. A few big benchmarks are passed this month. First, the Mazda3 confirms its title of Australia’s best-selling car acquired in 2011 when it put an end to 15 years of Holden Commodore domination by reaching its best-ever monthly market share this month at an outstanding 5.3% thanks to 4,045 sales. It is the third time in 8 months the 3 leads the Australian monthly ranking after June and August 2011, and the fourth time ever with January 2009. The 3 also hits the highest market share by any model in Australia since the 5.5% of the Toyota Corolla in January 2011.

Mazda3

The second benchmark, and it’s a massive one, is the Holden Cruze passing the Commodore for the first time in history to become the brand’s best-seller at #3 overall with 2,445 units and 3.2% share thanks to the addition of the new hatchback version also produced in Adelaide. It is the first time since its launch in 1978 that the Holden Commodore is not Holden’s top seller. In January it falls to just 2,170 units and 2.8% share, its lowest ever monthly volume and market share.

Ford Falcon

Finally the Ford Falcon, once the Commodore’s archenemy, suffers from large cars going out of fashion in the country and the effect of a freak hailstorm in Melbourne that damaged 500 vehicles in December to hit its lowest monthly volume ever recorded since the launch of the Falcon nameplate in 1961, falling below 1,000 units for the first time at 931 sales and 1.2% share.

Notice also the fantastic 6th place of the Mazda2, leading its category with 1,624 units and 2.1%. This is the 2’s highest monthly ranking ever, beating the 7th place it reached last August. The Ford Focus is up to a brilliant 8th position, the Holden Barina up to #11, Mazda CX-7 up to #14 and the Toyota Hilux is down to #17, penalised with supply issues from Thailand. Great Wall is up 68% on January 2011 at 868 sales.

Previous post: Australia Full Year 2011: Mazda3 breaks 15 years of Holden Commodore domination

One year ago: Australia January 2011: Toyota Corolla #1 for third consecutive month

Full January 2012 Top 50 Ranking Table below.