Australia Full Year 2017: Exclusive State by State rankings available

The Toyota Hilux is #1 in 5 Australian States out of 8 in 2017. Picture performancedrive.com.au

* See each State’s Top 10 best-selling brands and Top 50 models by clicking on the title *

For the 7th year in a row on BSCB we can share with you the best-sellers in each Australian State/Territory, and for the first time we are able to add in brands rankings. This is exclusive data you won’t find anywhere else on the web. The Toyota HIlux has been topping the same three States (Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory) every year since 2008, but in 2017 the star pickup from Toyota, #1 nationally for the 2nd year in a row, adds two more wins: the country’s largest State, New South Wales, as well as South Australia, topping both States for the very first time. The Ford Ranger maintains its hold on two States (Victoria and Tasmania) while the Mazda3 is the only passenger car managing a State win in 2017: in the Australian Capital Territory.

The Ford Ranger is #2 in New South Wales and #1 in Victoria.

New South Wales (Sydney)

With stable sales (-0.1%), New South Wales remains the largest Australian state in terms of volume at 397.273. The brands ranking is very close to the national order with the Top 5 identical: Toyota (+3.1%), followed by Mazda (-5.2%), Hyundai (-5.1%), Holden (-15.3%) and Ford (-1.8%). Mitsubishi (+10.5%) is above Volkswagen (+3.2%) while Kia (+34.3%) is above Subaru (+8.3%) and Nissan (-13%). Model-wise, after four consecutive years of Toyota Corolla reign, the NSW charts is dominated by a pickup for the first time: the Toyota Hilux indeed signs its very first win here thanks to deliveries up 13% whereas the Corolla is down 8% to #2. The Ford Ranger is up 22% and two spots to #3, overtaking the Mazda3 (-11%) and Hyundai i30 (-27%). As it is the case nationally, the Mazda CX-5 is the #1 SUV in NSW at #6 (+2 on 2016) with the VW Golf (-5%) remaining at #7.

Mercedes ranks #8 in Victoria, its only Top 10 State finish for 2017. Picture caradvice.com.au  

Victoria (Melbourne)

Victoria posts the largest year-on-year gain of all Australian States in 2017 at +4% to 339.343 units, that’s also the largest volume gain (+13.074). Toyota (+2.2%) trails the market and its national score with a weak 15.3% share, distancing Mazda (+4.5%) at 9.6%. Holden surprises with a 12.4% year-on-year gain keeping the brand on the podium at 9.5% share vs. 7.6% nationally. Ford (-3.7%) is also strong at #4 and 7.7% vs. #6 and 6.6%, followed by Hyundai (+4.2%), Nissan (-18.5%) and Mitsubishi (+13.3%). If Kia surges 35.5% to #9, the clear performer in Victoria is once again Mercedes, up 8.3% to post its highest State ranking and only Top 10 finish at #8. This year, Mercedes delivers 42% of its Australian total solely in Victoria vs. 38% in 2016. The Ford Ranger (+22%) is the best-selling model in Victoria for the 2nd consecutive year, widening the gap with the Mazda2 (-4%) from 737 to 3.395 sales. The Toyota Hilux gains four spots to land at #3, meaning it now ranks on the podium of all States bar ACT. The Holden Commodore (-6%) manages to improve its ranking to #5, overtaking the Toyota Camry (-11%) while the Mazda CX-5 (+12%) remains the best-selling SUV in the State at #8. Victoria is the only State where the Holden Astra returns to the Top 10 at #9 vs. #25 nationally while the Mercedes C-Class gains 29% to break into the Top 20 at #20.

The Holden Colorado hits its highest ranking in Queensland. Picture caradvice.com.au

Queensland (Brisbane)

Queensland new vehicle sales are stable in 2017, up just 75 units to 233.101 registrations. Toyota (+4%) performs stronger here than nationally with a 20.5% share vs. 18.2%, with Mazda (-5.1%) at similar levels at 10.2% and Hyundai (-9.9%) almost one percentage point higher at 9%. Mitsubishi (+7.4%) over-performs at #4 but Holden (-9.3%) and Ford (-1.6%) are weaker. With no recent history of car manufacturing in the State, Queensland buyers don’t have any particular attachment to brands perceived as local, and as a result only two nameplates in the Top 22 are not Asian: the Ford Ranger (#2) and Holden Colorado (hitting a State high at #7). Queensland remains the kingdom of pickup trucks, affectionately nickamed “utes” in Australia (for utility), with no less than 6 of them placing in the Top 11. The Toyota Hilux celebrates 11 consecutive years as the best-seller here, improving by 16% above the Ranger (+12%). The Toyota Corolla (-6%), Hyundai i30 (-26%) and Mazda3 (-13%) round up the Top 5 while the Hyundai Tucson (+23%) overtakes the Mazda CX-5 (-0.1%) to become the State’s best-selling SUV and the Isuzu D-Max is up 10% to #9.

The Hyundai Tucson posts its only Top 5 finish in Western Australia. Picture caradvice.com.au

Western Australia (Perth)

The Western Australian market continues its descent into hell with a 4th consecutive year-on-year drop at -2.5% in 2017 to 97.773 units, having now lost 22% of its annual volume since a high of 125.544 sales in 2013. Below Toyota (+4.6%) very robust at 22.4% share, Hyundai drops 7.2% year-on-year but hits both its highest ranking in any State (#2) and it only share above 10%. Mitsubishi surges 8.7% and three spots to land on the third step of the podium at 8.3%, only 14 units above Mazda (-5.6%). Western Australia is the only State where Ford (-8.1%) outsells Holden (-9.8%) and also did so last year. Similarly to Queensland, Western Australia’s rugged terrain favours four-wheel-drives and the Toyota Hilux celebrates 10 consecutive years in pole position here, even widening the gap with the Ford Ranger from 683 to 1.071 sales thanks to deliveries up 13% vs. +6% for the Ford ute. The Toyota Corolla (-1%) edges up one spot to claw its way back onto the podium, dislodging the Hyundai i30 down 18% to #4. The Hyundai Tucson (+1%) hits its highest State ranking here at #5, snapping the title of best-selling SUV off the Toyota Prado. The Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi ASX and Toyota RAV4 also make it to the Top 10 while the Holden Colorado is up 10% and 4 spots to #8. The Mitsubishi Outlander (#11 vs. #20 nationally), Toyota Land Cruiser Wagon (#15 vs. #28) and Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup (#20 vs. #44) also over-perform in WA.

The Holden Commodore (2018 model pictured) clocks in its only podium in South Australia.

South Australia (Adelaide)

The South Australian new vehicle market is up 1% this year to 72.426 units. A long history of manufacturing in the State means some brands are at their strongest nationally here. Toyota is up 7.1% to 19.9% share vs. 18.2% nationally and Mazda is up 8.3% to 11.4% vs. 9.8% but Holden – which manufactured here from 1856 to 2017- frankly over-performs despite sales down 7% to a round 10% share vs. just 7.6% nationally. Similarly, Mitsubishi, once a local manufacturer, is up 8.8% to a stunning 9.8% share, three percentage points above its national level. Ford (-12.9%) and Hyundai (-4.5%) follow while Subaru stuns with a 7th place and 7.8% share, distancing Nissan (-13.1%), Volkswagen (-0.2%) and Honda (+13%), all below their national levels. The Toyota Hilux is up 9% and three ranks to lodge its first ever victory here, with the Ford Ranger (-1%) remaining in second place and the Holden Commodore (-4%) posting its only podium ranking anywhere in Australia. Leader in 2016, the Mazda3 tumbles down to #4. The Toyota Camry soars 21% to a nation-high #6 (also hit in Victoria), with the Mitsubishi ASX (#9), Outlander (#11) and Mazda CX-3 (#12) also posting strong showings.

The Mitsubishi ASX hits its highest ranking in Tasmania at #2. Picture caradvice.com.au

Tasmania (Hobart)

New vehicle sales in Tasmania edge up 0.8% in 2017 to 19.901 units. Toyota dominates here too but drops 7% to a weak 16.6% share whereas Mitsubishi soars 13.6% to a nation-best 11.5% share vs. just 6.8% nationally, distancing Mazda up 8.1% to 7.6%. But the best performer here in 2017 is without contest Subaru up 7.8% and three ranks to #4 with 7.6% share and only 11 units off a historical podium ranking. This is by far the best ranking Subaru has managed anywhere in Australia. Holden (-8.8%), Hyundai (-22%) and Ford (-7.9%) follow while Volkswagen soars 12.4% to 5.8% vs. 4.9% nationally and Kia is up 32.6% to #10. The Ford Ranger (-0.3%) is the best-selling vehicle in Tasmania for the third straight year but this time it is followed by the Mitsubishi ASX up 11% and one spot to #2 vs. #13 nationally, by far its best State ranking in 2017. The Mitsubishi Triton (#4 vs. #10), Outlander (#6 vs. #20), Isuzu D-Max (#7 vs. #17), Subaru XV (#11 vs. #37) and Outback (#12 vs. #35) also hit their highest State ranking, here in Tasmania. The Toyota Hilux is up 6% to #3, the Toyota Corolla down 26% and three ranks to #5, the Nissan X-Trail up 64% and 13 spots to #9 and the Hyundai Tucson up 100% and 19 ranks to #10.

The Mazda3 signs the only 2017 State win by a passenger car in the ACT.

Australian Capital Territory (Canberra)

From a record 18.816 registrations in 2016, sales in the ACT edge down 1.5% in 2017 to 18.540. Toyota is in the lead but frankly under-performs with a slim 0.4% improvement and 13.4% share, almost 5 percentage points below its national level. Mazda on the other hand is 2 percentage points above its national share at 11.8%, with Hyundai rounding up the podium at 8.6%. Volkswagen posts a stunning 8.3% share (vs. 4.9% nationally) in 4th place, distancing Mitsubishi, Honda and Subaru while Holden (#8) and Ford (#9) are particularly shy. The Mazda3 is the best-seller here for at least the 7th consecutive year despite sales down 10% while the VW Golf (-5%) ranks at its highest anywhere in Australia, reclaiming the 2nd spot it held in 2015 by overtaking the Hyundai i30 (-24%). It ranks 14th nationally. The Toyota Hilux (+3%) nudges up one rank to #4, the Mazda CX-5 (+9%) is up two to #5, both passing the Toyota Corolla (-9%). The Kia Cerato (+17%) breaks into the Top 10, followed closely by the Honda Civic (+68%) at #11 vs. #23 nationally, the VW Tiguan is up 96% to #15 vs. #38 nationally and the Subaru Impreza up 138% to #19 vs. #32.

Toyota holds 40.6% of the Northern Territory market, placing the Prado at #4… 

Northern Territory (Darwin)

Home of Uluru, the Northern Territory is Australian nature at its purest. Larger than France, Germany and Spain put together, it is populated by just 243.700 inhabitants, 60% of them in its capital, Darwin. The smallest market in Australia, Northern Territory saw its sales gain a tiny 0.2% in 2017 to 10.759, still a notch below the high of 11.393 hit in 2013. The Northern Territory is Toyota territory: the Japanese manufacturer more than doubles its national market share here at a mammoth 40.6% vs. 18.8%, selling almost four times the amount of its immediate follower: Mitsubishi, itself posting a stunning score at 10.3% share with the help of strong rental sales. Holden (+4.9%), Mazda (-6.5%) and Hyundai (+2.5%) round up the Top 5 while Kia (#7 vs. #9), Suzuki (#9 vs. #16) and Honda (#10 vs. #11) are higher than their national levels.

…and The Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup at #10 vs. #44 nationally. 

Logically, Toyota owns the NT models ranking with 6 nameplates in the Top 7 and 8 in the Top 11. The Hilux celebrates 20 consecutive years in the NT pole position with 10.8% share, the highest of any model in any State, and is followed this year by the Corolla (-15%), RAV4 (+24%) at #3 vs. #12 nationally and Prado (+27%) at #4 vs. #22 – both nameplates hitting their highest State rankings here – with the Ford Ranger (-4%) down two spots to #5. The Land Cruiser Wagon (+2%), also hitting its highest position here at #6 vs. #28 nationally, and Camry (+17%) both advance whereas the Mitsubishi ASX (-10%) and Triton (-0.3%) skid down. The Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup soars 23% to return inside the Top 10 at #10 vs. #44 nationally. Notice also the Mitsubishi Outlander up 51% and 9 spots to #12 vs. #20 nationally, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport up 100% and 15 ranks to a State-high of #18 vs. #47, the Holden Trailblazer up to #32 vs. #83 and the Toyota C-HR landing at #45 vs. #55, its only Top 50 State finish for 2017.

Australia post: Australia Full Year 2016: Toyota Hilux first ever “ute” to lead annual sales

Previous year: Australia Full Year 2015: Exclusive State by State rankings available

Two years ago: Australia Full Year 2014: Exclusive State by State rankings available

Full Year 2017 Top 10 brands and Top 50 models in each Australian state vs. Full 2016 figures below.