Australia Full Year 2017: Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger top record market

The Toyota Hilux is the #1 vehicle in Australia for the 2nd straight year. Picture caradvice.com.au

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 50 All-brands, Top 350 All-models and Top 50 All-medium and heavy commercial vehicles – click on title *

Consult over 70 years worth of Australian Historical Data here

The Australian new vehicle market marks a third consecutive all-time record year in 2017, up 0.9% on the previous record established in 2016 to lift it to 1.189.116 units. One of the most striking evolutions of the Australian market in 2017 is the fact SUVs outsold passenger cars for the very first time in history. With sales up 5.6% to 465.646, they account for 39.2% of the market this year vs. 37.4% a year ago. Reversely, passenger cars are down a steep 7.5% to 450.012 or 37.8% share vs. 41.3% in 2016. Light commercials, mainly composed of pickup trucks, are even more dynamics than SUVs with a 8.6% year-on-year gain to 236.609 and 19.9% share vs. 18.5% a year ago. Looking at sales by State, the most dynamic is Victoria (Melbourne) with deliveries up 4% to 339.343, with the next best performer being South Australia (Adelaide) at +1% to 72.426, Tasmania up 0.8% to 19.901, Northern Territory (Darwin) up 0.2% to 10.759 and Queensland (Brisbane) stable at 233.101. All other States are in negative: New South Wales (Sydney) down 0.1% to 397.273, Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) dow 1.5% to 18.540 and Western Australia (Perth) down 2.5% to 97.773.

The Ford Ranger soars 16% to a best-ever 2nd place in 2017.

Brand-wise, Toyota remains unreachable, even outpacing the market at +3.3% to 18.2% share, marking 21 years in the Australian pole position including the past 15 straight years. Toyota eclipses 200.000 annual sales for the sixth consecutive year and the 13th time in the past 14 years (record: 238,983 in 2008), keep in mind this is a milestone no other carmaker has ever managed to reach in Australia. Mazda remains in 2nd place – its highest ranking anywhere in the world – despite a 1.6% drop, while both Hyundai (-4.5%) and Holden (-4.2%) retract relatively significantly. Mitsubishi advances almost 10% to return inside the Top 5 most popular brands, knocking Ford (-3.8%) out.

Kia posts the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 20 at +28.3%.

Volkswagen (+2.5%) overtakes Nissan (-15.3%) while Kia posts by far the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 20 at +28.3% to hit another annual volume record (54.737) and ranking (#9). Honda (+14.6%), Subaru (+11.7%) and Isuzu Ute (+10.4%) also post double-digit gains in the Top 20 whereas Jeep (-34.5%), BMW (-15.7%) and Audi (-9.3%) are in difficulty. Further down, Great Wall (+270.6%), Haval (+148.3% for its first full year), Lotus (+100%), Chinese LDV (+68%), Maserati (+53.2%), Alfa Romeo (+48.7%), Ram (+36.3%), Aston Martin (+25.2%), McLaren (+24.7%), Rolls Royce (+21.6%), Bentley (+15.3%), Skoda (+12.4%) and Ferrari (+11.7%) post impressive gains. MG comes back to Australia as a Chinese brand and makes its first appearance in the official sales ranking at a discreet (for now?) #34 just below Haval.

The Mazda CX-5 is the best-selling SUV in Australia for the 5th consecutive year. 

In 2016, the Toyota Hilux became the first ever “ute” (local slang for pickup truck) to top the annual Australian sales charts. It repeats this feat in 2017 thanks to sales up 12% to break a new volume record for the nameplate at 47.093 and, in a first ever “ute 1-2” in history, is now followed by the Ford Ranger, up 16% to hit ranking, share and volume records. The Ford Ranger even snapped its very first monthly #1 in September., the first non-Asian nameplate to top Australian charts in over six years and only the 9th nameplate in the past 40 years to top the Australian monthly charts at least once. The Toyota Corolla (-7%), Mazda3 (-9%) and Hyundai i30 (-24%) follow but all decline, illustrating the exodus from passenger cars Australian car buyers are showing.

First ever annual Top 10 ranking for the Hyundai Tucson in Australia. 

The Mazda CX-5 celebrates five consecutive years as Australia’s favourite SUV thanks to deliveries up 5% to a new record, and reaching the highest year-end position of any SUV in history at #6. It is however followed closely by the Hyundai Tucson (+18%) breaking into the annual Top 10 for the fist time at #7 and also breaking volume and share records. In fact, the Top 5 best-selling SUVs all break their volume record this year in Australia and 6 of the Top 7: the Toyota RAV4 (+8%), Mitsubishi ASX (+7%), Nissan X-Trail (+0.3%) and Mitsubishi Outlander (+34%), the latter breaking into the annua Top 20 for the first time at #20. The Holden Colorado (+17%), Kia Cerato (+42%) and Isuzu D-Max (+8%) also hit all-time high volumes inside the Top 20.

The Toyota C-HR during a trip to the Australian desert we will report on shortly. 

Further down, the Honda Civic shoots up 109% to #23 thanks to the new model, the Holden Astra leaps up to #25 thanks to a new generation and even ranked to a nameplate record 2nd place overall in December likely thanks to dealer self-registrations. The Kia Sportage (+23%), Subaru Impreza (+1525), Mercedes C-Class (+22%), Subaru XV (+23%), VW Tiguan (+68%), Ford Mustang (+48%), Mazda CX-9 (+76%), Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup (+26%) and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport also make themselves noticed inside the Top 50. Even though it still lags well below its direct competitors the Mazda CX-3 ($#19) and Honda HR-V (#33), the Toyota C-HR (#55) is the most popular new launch in Australia for 2017, ahead of the Ford Escape (#64, technically launched in late 2016), Hyundai Kona (#93), and Audi Q2 (#108).

Previous post: Australia December 2017: Holden up 57.7%, Astra and Colorado break records

Previous year: Australia Full Year 2016: Toyota Hilux first ever “ute” to lead annual sales and The State by State best-sellers

Two years ago: Australia Full Year 2015: Mazda first full importer to #2 in record market and The State by State best-sellers

Full Year 2017 Top 50 All-brands and Top 350 All-models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.