Australia October 2022: First win for new gen Ford Ranger, GWM Haval in Top 10

The Ford Ranger is #1 in Australia for the first time this year.

08/11 update: Now with Top 275 all models ranking.

It’s an encouraging third consecutive month of double-digit gains for the Australian new vehicle market in October at +16.9% year-on-year to 87,299 registrations. This is the best October result since 2018 and as a result the year-to-date volume tilts into positive at +0.9% to 898,429. SUVs shoot up 37.1% year-on-year to 48,463 units and 55.5% share vs. 47.3% in October 2021, light commercials (mainly pickup trucks and vans) are up 10.9% to 21,447 and 24.6% share vs. 25.9% a year ago and passenger cars continue their fall at -16.5% to just 13,321 sales and 15.3% share vs. 21.4% in 2021.

Private sales are up 27.5% to 47,005 units, business sales up 8.2% to 29,373, rental sales up 15.3% to 4,982 and government sales down -19.4% to 1,871. Looking at sales by State and Territory, all are in positive this month. Tasmania fares best at +25.1% to 1,652 sales, followed by Victoria up 24.5% to 23,283, Western Australia up 22.5% to 9,050, Australian Capital Territory up 17.3% to 1,305, Queensland up 16.7% to 18,850, Northern Territory up 13.1% to 726, South Australia up 12.4% to 5,564 and the biggest state comes last: New South Wales up 10.2% to 26,869. Petrol sales amount to 45,099, diesel is at 28,707, hybrid at 6,860, EV at 2,098, PHEV at 464 and Hydrogen at 3. Looking at sales by provenance, Japan is up 13.4% to 24,504, Thailand is up 21.6% to 20,341, South Korea up 9.3% to 12,413, China surges 72.7% to 11,113 and Germany is at 3,600.

In the brands ranking, after a dismal month of September, Toyota (+18.6%) returns to its traditional level at 20.9% of the market vs. 21.7% so far this year. The event of the month is the 2nd place of Ford (+43.2%): it hadn’t ranked so high in 23 years (since September 1999!). Previously, it ranked #3 in June and July 2021 but before that and hadn’t placed on the podium in exactly 10 years: since October 2012. Kia (+31.5%) is also in outstanding shape at #3, frankly outselling sister brand Hyundai (-13.5%) at #6 and as a result climbing to third place overall in the YTD charts.

Mitsubishi (+42.3%) also posts a strong result in 4th place, overtaking Mazda (+11.5%). MG (+60.4%) continues to spectacularly gear up, reaching an all-time high monthly volume at over 5,000 units for the first time and nipping at the heels of Hyundai. Volkswagen (+9.9%) and Isuzu Ute (+21.1%) follow while GWM Haval (+45.5%) breaks into the Top 10 for the first time at #10, making it two Chinese brands in the monthly Top 10 for the first time in Australian history. As usual in start of quarter months, Tesla is down 12 spots on September to #19. Porsche (+187.1%), Ram (+107.3%) and Genesis (+104.9%) impress below.

GWM Haval is among the 10 most popular brands in Australia for the first time.

Over in the models aisle, the Ford Ranger (+36.1%) snaps the first spot for the first time for the new generation and for the first time this year for the Ranger nameplate (last win in December 2021). The Ranger is of course instrumental in lifting Ford to 2nd place, accounting for 72% of the brand’s sales this month. The Toyota Hilux (+23.3%) drops to #2 but still posts a large year-on-year gain. Note the Ranger (5,147) markedly outsells the Hilux (3,492) in the 4×4 pickup race. The Toyota RAV4 (+92.9%) rallies back up five spots on last month to return to #3, now that supply has bettered. The Mazda CX-5 is up a flamboyant 237.4% year-on-year but remains in 4th place like in September.

The MG ZS (+103.5%) is up 18 spots to a record 5th place, the first time a Chinese model ranks within the Australian Top 5. The Kia Sportage (+404.6%) equals its ranking record at #7, also hit last June. The MG3 (+43.7%) breaks all records: ranking (#8), volume (1,823) and share (2.1%). Notice also the Mitsubishi Triton (+182.2%), Outlander (+148.3%) and Ford Everest (+134.1%) in great shape below, the latter posting what is believed to be its all-time high ranking, volume and share. The Toyota Corolla Cross makes a remarkable entrance directly at #18, outselling the Toyota Corolla (-54.6%) for its first month in market.

Previous month: Australia September 2022: Chinese shipments propel Tesla Model Y to #3, GWM Haval #11, market up 12.3%

One year ago: Australia October 2021: Market down -8.1% to lowest October in 19 years, Ford Ranger repeats at #1

Full October 2022 Top 50 all brands and Top 275 all models below.