Australia March 2024: Ford up to #2 brand, Everest breaks ranking record

The Ford Everest is up to a record 7th place in March.

14/04 update: Now with Top 308 All brands ranking.

It’s yet another record month for Australian new vehicle sales, the 9th in the past 12 months. March volumes are up 12.7% year-on-year to 109,647 units, eclipsing the previous March high mark of 106,988 hit in 2018 and marking 11 consecutive months of growth. Over Q1, sales are up 13.2% to an all time high 304,452. Private sales gain 10.2% to 56,209, business fleets are up 15.7% to 39,527, sales to rental companies up 27.6% to 6,284 and government fleets up 24.7% to 3,283. SUVs are up a whopping 20.7% to 53,526 and 58.9% share v. 55% in March 2023 and 50.3% two years ago, light commercials edge up 4.8% to 23,061 and 21% share vs. 22.6% last year and 23.9% on 2023. Passenger cars for once gain some ground at +2.5% to 17,611 and 16.1% share vs. 17.7% in March 2023 and 21.7% in March 2022. Heavy commercial vehicles drop -4.1% to 4,344 and 3.9% share vs. 4.7% a year ago.

All states and territories bar Tasmania (-0.6% to 1,610 sales) are in positive this month. New South Wales is up 11.7% to 33,808 sales, Victoria up 24.9% to 30,099, Queensland up 5.9% to 23,550, Western Australia up 9.3% to 11,074, South Australia up 6.9% to 6,992, Australian Capital Territory up 0.5% to 1,584 and Northern Territory up 19.8% to 930. As for sales by alimentation, petrol is down -4.9% to 47,761, diesel up 5.5% to 31,731, HEVs surge 165.6% to 13,935, BEVs gain 58.3% to 10,464 and PHEVs advance 148.2% to 1,412. Looking at sales by country of origin, Japan is up 31.5% to 33,588, Thailand up 11.5% to 24,233, China up 16.7% to 17,653, South Korea up 7.7% to 13,755 and Germany up 0.4% to 4,815.

In the brands ranking, Toyota (+43.4%) catches up on a particularly drab year-ago result hampered by stock shortages and quarantine issues and holds 17.3% of the market vs. 18.5% over Q1. Ford (+35.3%) advances to 2nd place overall with 8% share. It’s the 2nd time in the past 4 months that Ford ranks #2 in Australia. Mazda is stable and drops to 7.5% share in third place, followed by Mitsubishi (+34.2%) and Kia (+10.4%). Tesla surges 68.2% year-on-year and climbs to a record 6th place also hit in June 2023 vs. #9 so far this year. Below Hyundai (+11.5%), Nissan (+46.2%) posts another fantastic result but falls four spots on February to #8. Isuzu Ute (-4%) is down on a record March 2023 while MG (-1.4%) is stuck in 10th place vs. #7 over the Full Year 2023. 

The Ford Ranger (+25.6%) lodges another great month and tops the models charts for the 6th month in a row, consolidating its YTD domination. The Toyota RAV4 (+185.2%) finally benefits from improved production situation and is now clearing back-orders for models ordered one or two years ago. The RAV4 passes the 5,000 monthly sales mark for the first time in the history of the nameplate, eclipsing its previous best of 4,825 hit in August 2020. At 4.6%, it’s also the model’s highest market share since February 2022 (5.2%).

The Tesla Model Y (+126%) rallies back up seven spots on February to #3 with 4% of the market, whereas the Toyota Hilux (-12.8%) falls to 4th place, its lowest ranking since August 2020 (#8). The Hilux doesn’t even manage to top the 4×2 ranking and falls below the Isuzu D-Max and Ford Ranger. The Mitsubishi Outlander (+27.4%) is up to #5 for the second time in the past 3 months. The Ford Everest (+129.8%) smashes its rankin record at #7 vs. a previous best of #9 hit last October. Note the Ranger and Everest account for 90% of Ford sales this month. The Nissan X-Trail (+124.4%) and Toyota Land Cruiser (+181.5%) also impress in the remainder of the Top 10. The Toyota Corolla (+103.5%) is the only passenger car in the Top 15.

Previous month: Australia February 2024: Another record result, Nissan at highest in 11 years

One year ago: Australia March 2023: Isuzu Ute breaks all records, places D-Max at #3 and MU-X at #10, registrations off -2.7%

Full March 2024 Top 48 All brands and Top 308 All models below.