Isuzu D-Max joins best-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes in Top Five models in weaker October 2021 new-car sales with a few surprises

The Australian new-vehicle market has fallen just shy of a year of positive sales results, with October 2021 breaking the 11-month streak of month-on-month volume growth, down 8.1 per cent to 74,650 units due to stock shortages and lockdown.

As reported, sales were down 13.7 per cent year-on-year in 2020, partly due to 31 consecutive months of negative results prompted by several factors, although they were up 22.7 per cent year-to-date in first 10 months of 2021.

Despite being down 21.1 per cent to 15,395 units, Toyota remained market leader in October 2021, although its HiLux ute (3961, -10.9%) once again conceded the title of best-selling model to the rivalling – and steadier – Ford Ranger (4135, -1.9%).

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That said, there was a third ute in the Top Five models, with the fifth-placed Isuzu D-Max (1694 units, -12.3 per cent) holding Toyota’s RAV4 mid-size SUV (1670, -59.1%) to an unusually low sixth position due to the latter’s high demand but low supply.

Toyota still had one other model finish on the podium, though, with the Corolla small car (1989 units, +2.4%) finishing just ahead of its archrival, the quickly improving Hyundai i30 (1946, +36.0%).

The rest of the Top 10 models included the seventh-placed Hyundai Tucson mid-size SUV (1532 units, -8.7%), eighth-placed Mitsubishi ASX small SUV (1464, +30.8%), ninth-placed Nissan X-Trail mid-size SUV (1420, +10.7%) and 10th-placed Kia Cerato small car (1381, -14.7%).

As far as the other Top Five brands were concerned, Hyundai (6115 units, +2.8%), Ford (5462, -4.9%), Mazda (5181, -30.5%) and Kia (4853, -8.5%) got the job done.

Meanwhile, the Top 10 brands were rounded out by Mitsubishi (4203 units, -6.8%), Nissan (3397, -4.0%), MG (3136, +86.7), Volkswagen (2912, -6.4%) and Subaru (2736, -5.7).

For reference, the SUV repeated as the most popular type of new vehicle in October 2021, with a 47.3 per cent share. It led the light-commercial vehicle (25.9%) and passenger car (21.4%).

Despite remaining in lockdown for most of October 2021, Victoria (+6.3%) was the only state or territory to grow its sales, with the ACT (-22.3%), Western Australia (-15.4%), the Northern Territory (-12.4%), New South Wales (-12.2%), South Australia (-11.9%), Queensland (-10.3%) and Tasmania (-1.6%) all sliding.

And it was rental sales (+105.6%) that actually grew in October 2021, with business, government and private sales down 19.2, 18.0 and 5.9 per cent respectively.

Commenting on these results, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said: “Automotive manufacturers, like all those in the global manufacturing sector, are dealing with a microprocessor shortage which is leading to longer wait times to get products to market.

“Australians are continuing to purchase vehicles, and carmakers are working to deliver products to our shores.”

The most popular brands of October 2021

The most popular models of October 2021