SUVs help push car sales

The SUV figures helped to push vehicle sales to the highest monthly total in almost two years, with more than 97,000 buyers.

The figure, driven by demand for SUVs of all sizes, was 3.9 per cent higher than the same month last year and the best result since June 2010.

Releasing the figures yesterday, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said small cars were the other factor in the strong result. "SUVs continue to dominate Australian car sales,'' FCAI chief executive Ian Chalmers said.

"Combined with small passenger cars and light passenger cars, these three segments make up 64.6 per cent of new cars sold this year.''

The SUV boom compensated for a decline in demand for light commercial vehicles despite a rebound for Toyota's Hilux best-seller, which was hit by supply problems in the wake of last year's Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

It helped Toyota lead the sales race along with its Camry, which found 43 per cent more buyers than last March on the strength of the new locally built model.

Other local makers Ford and Holden had a more mixed result, with large car sales down 30 per cent for the month affecting both the Falcon and Commodore. 

The Holden sedan found 1000 fewer buyers than in March last year while a poor result for the Falcon, with 1275 sales, was one factor in Ford slipping down the sales charts to fifth, behind Mazda and Hyundai.

Imports captured 87 per cent of sales, with the Japanese-made Mazda 3, a small hatchback, again the nation's favourite vehicle with 3818 buyers. Strong sales of its new compact SUV, the CX-5, and BT-50 pick-up helped Mazda to record its best month ever.