Australia August 2022: Market up 17.3% to best August in five years, Tesla Model 3 #4, GWM breaks records

Tesla Model 3

9/09 update: now with Top 270 All models.

It’s a clear recovery for the Australian market in August: up 17.3% year-on-year to 95,256 deliveries, the best August result in five years. The year-to-date tally now stands at 717,575 units, down just -2.1% over the same period in 2021. 5 out of the 8 States and Territories are up on August 2021, the two best faring being the Australian Capital Territory up 49.8% to 1,410 sales and New South Wales up 40% to 30,501 on lockdown year-ago volumes. Victoria (up 18.4% to 25,053) also outpaces the market – but just, while Queensland (+11.7% to 21,379) and Northern Territory (+4.2% to 816) are also up but trail the market. In the naughty corner are South Australia (-9.7% to 5,702), Western Australia (-6.5% to 8,784) and Tasmania (-3% to 1,611).

As for segments, SUVs climb 18.5% to 48,571 units and 51% share vs. 50.5% in 2021 and 53.1% in 2020, Light Commercials gain 16.8% to 22,472 sales and 23.6% share vs. 23.7% last year and 18.4% a year ago and Passenger Cars for once perform relatively well at +15.3% to 19,997 units and 21% share vs. 21.4% in 2021 and 24.2% in 2020. The rest of the monthly volume is held by Heavy Commercials (4,216 sales and 4.4% share).

Private sales rise 22.9% to 51,651 units, business fleets are up 10.8% to 31,536, rental fleets up 20% to 5,450 and government sales down 5.7% to 2,403. Petrol sales trail the market at +12.5% to 48,594, diesel also at +13.1% and 30,807, HEV are up just 5.8% to 6,864, BEV stand at 4,235 thanks to the addition of Tesla figures and PHEV implode -83.7% to 540. Looking at the country of production of the new vehicles sold in Australia this month, Japan is up just 1.8% to 29,147, Thailand up 13.2% to 19,880, South Korea soars 35.8% to 14,020, China surges 77.1% to 11,155 and the USA grows 53.3% to 4,249.

GWM breaks records in August in Australia.

In the brands ranking, Toyota (+3.3%) can’t keep up with the market’s growth and sees its share drop to 21.6%, still enough to vastly outsell the next two manufacturers. Mazda (+15.4%) also trails the market but to a much lesser extend and with 9.3% share, it equals its YTD level. Kia (+33.9%), Hyundai (+32.4%) and Mitsubishi (+32.9%) all post fantastic scores as Kia extends its lead over sister brand Hyundai in the YTD order. Ford (+15.4%) is improving thanks to the arrival of the new generation Ranger. Thanks to the arrival of 7 new shipments of vehicles, Tesla is up to #7 for the month with 3.6% of the market and rises to #19 YTD, the same position it held over the Full Year 2021. MG (+2.1%) seems to have plateaued and drops one spot on July to #8. Mercedes (+22.1%) closes the Top 10 in very solid fashion. GWM Haval (+44.6%) breaks its volume (2,637) and share (2.8%) records this month. Notice also BMW (+51.8%), Suzuki (+105.2%), LDV (+26%), Renault (+44%), Volvo (+29.5%) and Ram (+55.9%) all shining in the remainder of the Top 25.

Model-wise, the Toyota Hilux (+39%) sports a fantastic year-on-year gain and 8th consecutive monthly win, while the Ford Ranger (+13.6%) returns into positive for the first time since last February now that the new generation has started to be delivered to its customers. Well below, the Toyota RAV4 (-21.7%) tops the SUV charts but loses the YTD 2nd spot to the Ranger. The Tesla Model 3 snaps the 4th spot overall, its highest ranking since the carmaker started communicating monthly sales earlier this year. The Mitsubishi Triton (+152.4%) is the only additional gainer in the Top 10, with the Toyota Corolla (-40.6%) and Prado (-30.3%) hit particularly hard. Below, the Toyota Land Cruiser (+290%), Kia Sportage (+93.3%), Toyota Kluger (+70.9%), Hyundai Tucson (+47%), Mazda3 (+39.5%) and CX-30 (+32.9%) make themselves noticed. The Tesla Model Y lands directly at #23 while the GWM Ute (+59.9%) slides into the Australian Top 25 for the second time after ranking #17 last June.

Previous month: Australia July 2022: Hyundai, Kia, Hilux impress in market up 0.4%

One year ago: Australia August 2021: Toyota places 4 models in Top 5, MG ZS repeats in Top 10, market up 33.1%

Full August 2022 Top 60 all brands and Top 270 all models below.