Sales lift above 2008

Rebounding new vehicle sales have - for the first month in more than a year - exceeded 2008 figures.  Last month's new car and truck sales from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) totalled 80,813, up 1708 sales - a 2.2 per cent rise on October last year.

The October total is the first month since June 2008 that there has been an improvement - all segments except heavy trucks contributed to the improvement.
Holden's Adelaide-built Commodore remains the number one seller for the year so far with more than 36,000 sedans and wagons sold, but last month ran third to the Toyota Corolla's tally of 3724 - 269 ahead of the Commodore - and the HiLux light-commercial's total of 3707.

Holden's results included Captiva topping the SUV sales charts for October and sales and marketing executive director John Elsworth said the Cruze recording its strongest sales month since it arrived in showrooms in June.

"We continue to be delighted with the public response to the Cruze - from a standing start it's now the third best-selling car in small car segment," he said.
The year-to-date 2009 market of 762,787 vehicles is running behind the same period in 2008 by 11.7 per cent or 101,250 vehicle sales.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Andrew McKellar said the market was boosted by sales activity in private, business and rental buyers.  "The industry is looking to round out the year on a positive note and we expect a further surge in sales as businesses move to take advantage of the successful tax break prior to the end of the year," he said.

Van sales were up almost 20 per cent last month and Rick Castellan has just bought the top-selling van in the segment, a Toyota HiAce.  The 47-year-old director of Castellan Plumbing Services is on his ninth HiAce and the tax rebate sweetened the deal to buy a new one.

"The deals are good at the moment, one of my other old vans died after being run into the ground, and with the government tax rebate makes it a bit better financially," he said.  Mr Castellan said many of his colleagues and opposition have also updated vehicles because of the tax rebate.  "One guy I know would normally go to the government auctions and gets a two or three year-old van but he worked it out that he's better off buying the new one with the rebate," he said.

TOP 10 BRANDS     Sept         (YTD 2009 +/- on 2008)
Toyota                      17,888       160,786    -20.6 per cent
Holden                     10,737        96,404     -12.2 per cent
Ford                           8240          78,529     -12.7 per cent
Mazda                        5637         63,332     -6.5 per cent
Hyundai                     6281         53,906     42.0 per cent
Mitsubishi                 4775         44,867     -14.3 per cent
Nissan                      4484         42,930     -15.6 per cent
Honda                       2984         34,771     -25.1 per cent
Subaru                      3302         30,527     -6.4 per cent
Volkswagen             2626          25,343     -2.7 per cent

TOP 20 VEHICLES        Sept 2009    Year to date
Toyota Corolla               3724              32,200
Toyota Hilux                   3707              30,096
Holden Commodore     3455             36,085
Ford Falcon                   2841              25,411
Mazda3                          2211              29,397
Hyundai Getz                2198               17,389
Holden Cruze                2183               8327
Mitsubishi Lancer        2066                 17,071
Hyundai i30                   2041              17,913
Toyota Camry              1817               16,529
Nissan Navara           1689               15,013
Toyota Yaris                 1613               15,990
Toyota Aurion                1426               11,289
Holden Colorado         1378              12,157
Ford Ranger               1284               11,046
Holden Captiva          1255                 9133
Mitsubishi Triton         1251              14,115
Holden Utility             1127                 9411
Suzuki Swift               1113                 9602
Volkswagen Golf         1055             10,096