Australia: Top models/brands over the last 10 years in graphs

The Top 5 best-selling models in Australia over the last decade (annual volume).

* Click on the image above to see the large version of the graph. Many thanks to Josh *

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you all to BestSellingCarsBlog’s first graphs, thanks to Josh Gregg. Given I am based in Australia I thought it would be appropriate to have this first graph illustrate a striking trend in this country over the last decade: the fall of large cars like the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon, to the benefit of compact ones like the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla. The first graph (above) features the Top 5 models over the period – cumulatively, not each year’s Top 5.

2002-2012 sales variation for the Top 5 models in Australia

The Commodore is down from 88,478 sales in 2002 to just 30,532 in 2012 (-74%!), losing its pole position to the Mazda3 in 2011 after 15 years of domination. Similarly, the Ford Falcon falls from 73,220 units in 2003 to 14,036 in 2012. On the opposite, the Mazda3 is up from 15,941 sales in 2002 (when it was called the Mazda 323) to a record 44,128 units in 2012, a 177% increase over the decade. You will notice the 2nd graph represents the % variation for these models between 2002 and 2012.

Mazda3

Interestingly, the Toyota Corolla peaked at 47,901 sales and 2008 and has seen stabilised around 40,000 annual units, in effect missing the opportunity to take the lead of the Australian market as early as 2009. Over the decade it is up a modest 11% while the Toyota Hilux displays relentless growth over the period, coming from 22,515 units in 2002 to 42,956 in 2008, and lodging an overall 81% increase over the decade.

Market share over the last decade of the Top 6 manufacturers in 2012

The third graph shows the cumulative market share of the Top 6 manufacturers in the country over the last decade. This was calculated by adding up sales for each year since 2003 for each Top 6 manufacturer in the 2012 ranking. No surprises: Toyota leads with 21%, followed by Holden at 14% and Ford at 11%. But perhaps the most striking graphs of all is the 4th one (below) showing percentage variation for 2012’s Top 6 manufacturers compared to 2003. Hyundai is at an unbelievable +196% (tripling its volume over the period) while Mazda doubles its sales at +95%, Holden is down 35% and Ford down 29%…

2003-2012 sales variation for the Top 6 manufacturers in Australia as of 2012

Would you be interested in seeing more graphs on BestSellingCarsBlog? If so, what countries and what timeframe? Please comment on here to share your thoughts with me about this latest addition to the information displayed on this blog. If the feedback is good, you will see more graphs popping up on here in the near future. (that is if Josh is happy to get into high-speed graph production mode!)

Check out special articles about the Toyota Corolla and Hilux in Australia below.