MG ZS cracks the Top 10 models for first time in July 2021 new-car sales to cement itself as the best-selling small SUV

For the ninth month in a row in July 2021, the Australian new-vehicle market had a positive sales result, with its volume up a solid 16.1 per cent month-on-month, to 84,161 units.

For reference, sales increased by 12.4, 13.5, 11.1, 5.1, 22.4, 137.2, 68.3 and 0.4 per cent in November 2020, December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, March 2021, April 2021, May 2021 and June 2021 respectively.

However, sales were down 13.7 per cent year-on-year in 2020, partly due to 31 consecutive months of negative results, although they were up 26.5 per cent year-to-date in first seven months of 2021.

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The big news in July 2021 was Australia’s top-selling small SUV, the fast-growing MG ZS (1786 units, +446.2%), cracking the Top 10 models for the first time, after months of being agonisingly close to joining the overall best-sellers.

This stellar result helped a determined MG (3313 units, +197.1%) become a Top 10 brand for another month, with it finishing in ninth position this time around.

That said, it was perennial favourite Toyota (17,643 units, +13.8%) that led from the front in July 2021, with it owning four of the Top 10 models, including the including the best-selling HiLux ute (4610, +56.4%), which once again held the rivalling Ford Ranger (4064, +30.9%) to second place.

Toyota’s dependable Corolla small car (2535 units, +15.6%) also finished on the podium, while its slowing RAV4 mid-size SUV (2345, -45.6%) and rapidly rising Prado large SUV (2251, +189.0%) finished in sixth and seventh position respectively.

As for the rest of the Top 10 models, the Isuzu D-Max ute (2427 units, +244.3%) continued its hot streak in fourth place, while the Mazda CX-5 mid-size SUV (2389 units, +38.3%), Hyundai i30 small car (1914, +9.7%) and Mitsubishi Outlander mid-size SUV (1792, +81.2%) took fifth, eighth and ninth place respectively.

And as far as the remaining Top 10 brands were concerned, Mazda (8919 units, +14.3%) finished in second position, while Ford (5569, +21.8%), Mitsubishi (5302, +13.2%) and Kia (5202, +12.5%) claimed third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

The final four positions went to Hyundai (5062 units, +9.2%), Volkswagen (3840, +3.5%), Isuzu (3403, +156.4%) and Nissan (2691, -7.4%).

For reference, the SUV was the most popular type of new vehicle in July 2021, with a commanding 49.9 per cent share. It was followed by the light-commercial vehicle (24.9%) and passenger car (20.9%).

Apart from the ACT (-11.2%) and New South Wales (-1.7%), sales in every state and territory grew in July 2021, with the Northern Territory (+39.0%) leading Victoria (+34.1%), Queensland (+26.1%), Western Australia (+22.4%), Tasmania (+17.7%) and South Australia (4+.9%).

And it was rental, private and business sales that underpinned July 2021’s overall growth, up 231.4, 16.7 and 7.2 per cent respectively, while government sales were down 14.4 per cent.

Commenting on these results, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said: “The growth of 16.1 per cent shows the underlying strength, confidence and resilience in the market in spite of the challenges being presented due to lockdowns and ongoing delivery issues caused by microprocessor shortages and shipping delays.”

The most popular brands of July 2021

The most popular models of July 2021