Australia May 2016: Hyundai i30 leads, only 133 units off YTD top spot

The Hyundai i30 is the best-selling vehicle in Australia for the third consecutive month. 

* Now updated with the Top 294 All-models and Top 50 All-brands by clicking on the title *

Australian new vehicle sales continue on their record-breaking pace, up 4% both in May (96.672) and year-to-date (469.571), on track to post a second consecutive year of all-time record sales. Private buyers did not contribute in any way to this record running this month with private sales down 4% to 47.424 just as business fleets gain 13.5% to 38.611, rental sales are up 17% to 3.983 and government sales up 2% to 3.807. South Australia (+10%), New South Wales (+6%) and Victoria (+3.5%) are the fastest growing States this month, with Western Australia the only one in negative at -5% just as the mining boom continues to cool down.

The Toyota Hilux remains the #1 model year-to-date, but for just 133 units.

Passenger cars continue to lose ground at -6% to hold just 39.5% market share vs. 43.5% a year ago. Reversely, the SUV segment is on the rise again at +11% to 37.5% share vs. 34.9% a year ago. Light commercials are up 11% to account for 20% of sales. Business and rental fleet buyers are strong supporters of SUVs, up 25% per cent and 54% respectively on the same period last year. According to caradvice.com.au, the main sources of vehicles are: Japan (27.367 +2%), Thailand (23.064 +15%), South Korea (13.585 +29%), Germany (7.337 -3%), Australia (6.647 -7%) and U.S.A. (4.220 -14%).

The Nissan Navara is back among Australia’s Top 10 best-sellers. 

Sales leader Toyota outpaces the market in May at +12% to 17.201 and 17.8% share vs. 17.1% so far this year, ahead of Mazda up 10% to 9.9% share and Hyundai up 9% to 9.3%. Toyota reaffirms its market dominance this month: it is the #1 car brand, #1 SUV brand and #1 light commercial brand (Hyundai was the top-selling passenger car brand in April). Despite volumes down 7%, Holden is back above archenemy Ford (+10%) after being overtaken for the first time in 17 years last month. Kia (+26%), Nissan (+25%), Mercedes (+22%) and Land Rover (+19%) deliver the largest year-on-year gains among the Top 20 brands whereas Honda (-14%), Volkswagen (-18%), Renault (-30%) and Jeep (-54%) fall apart.

Kia sales are up 26% in May.

Among smaller brands, Infiniti (+30%), Volvo (+39%) and Jaguar (+189%) take off as does Chinese light commercial manufacturer LDV (aka Maxus) up 4-fold on its May 2015 score to 139 sales, the brand’s strongest monthly volume in the two years it has been in Australia. Other Chinese fares Foton (-34%), Great Wall (4 sales) and Chery (one unit sold) remain extremely discreet, while Haval hasn’t been able to communicate any sales figures just yet despite being in market since last October. Another newcomer is U.S. pickup truck maker Ram, selling 21 units in May and crossing the 100 unit-mark year-to-date at 104, with the very first unit of SLT Big Horn being registered this month.

LDV G10 – China’s LDV sales in Australia are up 321% in May. 

Over in the models ranking, it’s another surprise at the top: the Hyundai i30 posts a third consecutive month in pole position thanks to sales shooting up 126% year-on-year to 3.771, the first vehicle to do so since the Toyota Corolla in Feb-Mar-Apr 2015. Less than a year ago in June 2015, the i30 managed its very first #1 ranking here and by then it was only the second month in history that a Hyundai nameplate topped Australian sales charts outright, along with the Excel in June 1998. Thanks to this stunning performance, the i30 now adds up to 16.425 sales year-to-date (+60%), leapfrogging both its direct competitors the Toyota Corolla (16.117) and Mazda3 (15.976) and falling just 133 units short of the YTD pole position still held by the Toyota Hilux (16.558).

First Australian Top 50 ranking for the new Suzuki Vitara. 

The Ford Ranger holds strong in 5th place (+26%), the Holden Commodore manages a rare month in positive (+2%), and the Mazda CX-5 is once again the best-selling SUV in Australia and continues to progress (+7%) despite the tremendous success of its little brother the CX-3, up 40% year-on-year to #14 overall. The Nissan Navara reappears inside the Top 10 for the first time since last January thanks to sales up 113% to 1.752. The Hyundai Tucson (1.643) is breathing on the Toyota RAV4’s neck (1.695), the Hyundai Accent (+101%) more than compensates for the discontinuation of the i20, with the Subaru Forester (+28%), Honda HR-V (+26%), Mitsubishi Outlander (+64%) and Nissan Qashqai (+70%) all posting spectacular gains.

Australians have embraced the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport’s controversial design.

Among recently launched nameplates, below the Hyundai Tucson reigning supreme at #12, the Suzuki Vitara gains 14 spots on April to break into the Australian Top 50 for the very first time at #39, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is up 17 to #60, the Mercedes GLC down 8 to #62 and the Toyota Fortuner down 4 to #66. After an extravagant score in April (#35), the Ford Mustang falls back to more realistic levels (#75) yet still dominates its segment. For its first full month of sales, the Kia Picanto takes the lead of its (flailing) segment at #107, while the Mercedes GLS s up 41 ranks to an excellent 132nd spot. Finally, we welcome the Bentley Bentayga in the Australian sales charts this month at #252.

Previous month: Australia April 2016: Hyundai i30 #1 again, Ford above Holden for first time in 17 years

One year ago: Australia May 2015: Discounted Toyota Hilux takes the lead

Full May 2016 Top 294 All-models and Top 50 All-brands below.