Thai-built utes grabbing Aussie sales

Only two utes are made in Australia, the Ford Falcon Ute and the Commodore-based Holden Ute. Both are struggling as more buyers switch to one-tonne utes, which have dramatically improved in quality through the last decade, to the point crew cab versions can double as family cars.

Ten years ago, Ford sold an average of 1490 Falcon Utes a month but that number has dropped to just 439 sales a month so far this year according to VFACTS figures.

In contrast, Ford’s Ranger (then called Courier) sold just 497 a month in 2002, but has managed and average of 909 per month this year despite supply issues following the Thailand floods. It averaged 1300 a month last year, even though the flood issues also impacted sales.

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The sales pain is not just limited to Ford, with Holden Ute sales dipping from an average of 1149 in 2002 to just 599 months so far this year. These are unprecedented numbers. They are so low that, based on domestic sales alone, it would be very difficult for Ford or Holden to justify the development costs for a new generation version of either vehicle.

In Holden’s case, the future could get brighter thanks to on-going interest in its Ute from its General Motors parent company, which is reportedly keen to sell it, along with the Commodore sedan, in the US.

It was even the best selling vehicle in Australia in April, although Toyota says the monthly total of 3565 included a backlog of Hilux models that had been delayed due to those floods. Despite last year’s disruptions, Toyota sold an average of 3010 Hilux utes per month in 2011.