The new vehicle market has started the year with a solid result, thanks mostly to Australians’ growing preference for sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
Official VFACTS data released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows that 76,783 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were sold in January (up 4.3 per cent or 3,199 vehicles compared to the same month in 2011).
“This is an encouraging January sales result and provides a good start to 2012,” FCAI Chief Executive Ian Chalmers said.
“It is mostly being driven by private (27.7% or 2,533 more than Jan 2011) and business (32.3% or 2,233 more) buyers of SUVs and car rental companies updating their passenger car fleets (up 55.6% or 583 compared with Jan 2011). The number of private buyers for passenger cars declined by 8.4 per cent (2,314) compared with this time last year,” he said.
Queensland continued the strong sales growth it displayed at the end of last year, with new vehicle sales in that state up by 18.3 per cent or two and a half thousand vehicles compared to the same period in 2011.
Toyota was the best performing brand in January with a market share of 18.3 per cent followed by Holden with 11.8 per cent and then Mazda with an 11 per cent share.
VFACTS monthly auto sales data is available the 3rd working day after the end of every month at www.fcai.com.au
For further information contact:
Sheena Ireland, Communications Manager
P: 02 6229 8221
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