Australian vehicle sales for August 2022: VFACTS

Australian new vehicle registration figures for August, 2022, have been handed out in the form of the VFACTS report, and it looks like things are on the mend with total figures for the month being the best since 2017.

Yep, August 2022 was the best month of August since 2017. A total of 95,256 new vehicles were registered during the month (we’ll call them sales), and that’s up an impressive 17.3 per cent on August last year. It seems production delays and supply constraints might be starting to free up. Tony Weber, CEO at Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, said:

“The August VFACTS sales are the best August result since 2017. This gives hope that the supply of vehicles to the Australian market is beginning to show signs of improvement.”

In the different states and territories, NSW saw the highest sales, understandably given it has the biggest population, reporting 30,501 units (up 40 per cent on August 2021), followed by Victoria with 25,053 sales (up 18.4 per cent), and then Queensland with 21,379 sales (up 11.7 per cent). Western Australia reported 8784 sales (down 6.5 per cent), South Australia contributed 5702 sales (down 9.7 per cent), and Tasmania added 1611 sales (down 3.0 per cent).

Interestingly, the ACT saw the biggest growth, with 1410 sales translating to a whopping 49.8 per cent increase on last August. The Northern Territory rounded out the nation’s stats with 816 sales (up 4.2 per cent).

TOP 10 BEST-SELLING CAR BRANDS IN AUSTRALIA

The Japanese auto giant, Toyota, remains in the lead. It saw 20,616 of its vehicles newly registered, translating to a 3.3 per cent increase on last August. Across year-to-date, the total figure of 161,558 units so far this year is also up, 3.2 per cent compared with the same eight-month period last year.

Further along the top 10 list we see Kia has leapfrogged its parent Hyundai for third place compared with July, and Tesla has moved back into the list, jumping to seventh. However, Tesla has a strange way of reporting new registrations so we’ll see if it is still in that position next month.

Other than those changes the list looks pretty much the same as the previous month, only all brands have reported an increase in figures except for Hyundai. Compared with July, that is. See below for the top 10 best-selling vehicle brands in Australia during August 2022:

1. Toyota – 20,616 (up from 19,565 in July 2022)
2. Mazda – 8824 (up from 7879)
3. Kia – 6780 (up from 6711)
4. Hyundai – 6643 (down from 6792)
5. Mitsubishi – 6380 (up from 5611)
6. Ford – 5839 (up from 4439)
7. Tesla – 3397 (up from 4)
8. MG – 3074 (up from 3018)
9. Subaru – 2960 (up from 2822)
10. Isuzu – 2800 (up from 2748)

TOP 10 BEST-SELLING PREMIUM CAR BRANDS IN AUSTRALIA

Into the premium brands and we see BMW has taken the lead from Mercedes-Benz, aside from Tesla coming in on top. The Bavarian brand (BMW) has posted a 51.8 per cent increase on its August figures last year, while Mercedes figures are up 25.2 per cent. Year-to-date though, Mercedes is in front with 19,321 units so far against 16,154 BMWs.

Further along the top 10 list, Audi remains in its common position behind the front-running German brands, while Volvo posted some decent numbers which helped it edge closer to Audi. Land Rover jumped a couple of positions from the previous month, from ninth to seventh, and Porsche and Genesis round out the list. See below for the top 10 best-selling premium car brands in Australia during August 2022:

1. Tesla – 3397 (up from 4)
2. BMW – 2395 (up from 1866)
3. Mercedes-Benz – 2386 (down from 2479)
4. Audi –1350 (down from 1440)
5. Volvo – 711 (up from 647)
6. Lexus – 477 (down from 536)
7. Land Rover – 327 (up from 289)
8. MINI – 312 (down from 320)
9. Porsche – 301 (down from 306)
10. Genesis – 89 (equal)

TOP 10 BEST-SELLING VEHICLES IN AUSTRALIA

Check out the sales figure for the Toyota HiLux. It continued its huge figures from the previous month, despite the all-new Ford Ranger hitting the scene as a tempting alternative. Toyota Australia is preparing a fairly major update for the HiLux later this year, which will no doubt perpetuate the success.

Ford Ranger sales did spike during August, likely helped by the arrival of the new model. We’d anticipate continued high numbers as the year goes on as supply constraints ease up. Ford is also launching the new Raptor this month which could boost the figures, while Toyota is also introducing a new flagship GR Sport variant to replace the Rugged X.

Further down the top 10 list we see the Tesla Model 3 in fourth spot, however, we’re a bit skeptical about these figures because earlier in the year the company managed to compile a few months of sales into one VFACTS report in one hit, which seems very fishy to us.

Moving on, it’s mainly familiar faces for the rest of the list. The top 10 best-selling vehicles in Australia during August 2022 were as follows:

1. Toyota HiLux – 6214 (down from 6441 in July)
2. Ford Ranger – 4497 (up from 2934)
3. Toyota RAV4 – 2482 (up from 2437)
4. Tesla Model 3 – 2380 (up from 4)
5. Toyota LandCruiser – 2379 (up from 2146)
6. Mazda CX-5 – 2325 (down from 2346)
7. Toyota Corolla – 2115 (up from 1982)
8. Mitsubishi Triton – 2087 (up from 1879)
9. Hyundai i30 – 1975 (up from 1758)
10. Isuzu D-Max – 1928 (down from 1930)

SMALL CARS UNDER $40,000

One of the most successful cars ever, the Toyota Corolla, continues to post decent figures despite pressures from SUVs and crossovers. It only just managed to stay in front of the Hyundai i30 during August, though, with i30 sales down only 3.5 per cent against the Corolla’s 40.6 per cent downturn compared with August last year.

Mazda3 sales took a big jump this month, pushing it into third spot, while the new Subaru WRX doesn’t seem to be catching on yet with sales actually dropping from the previous month. This could be due to supply constraints. Further down we see the poor old Honda Civic, which was recently refreshed and slapped with a very high starting price (for its class), continues to struggle, while the Kia Cerato maintains a decent footing in fourth place.

Overall segment figures reached 7861 units for the month, which is down 11.8 per cent on last August. Year-to-date figures are also down, although a more substantial 20.5 per cent. See below for the top 10 best-selling small cars in Australia during August 2022:

1. Toyota Corolla – 2115 (up from 1982 in July)
2. Hyundai i30 – 1975 (up from 1758)
3. Mazda3 – 1500 (up from 934)
4. Kia Cerato – 1092 (up from 946)
5. Subaru Impreza – 355 (up from 308)
6. Volkswagen Golf – 348 (down from 362)
7. Subaru WRX – 273 (down from 351)
8. Hyundai Ioniq – 97 (up from 83)
9. Honda Civic – 53 (down from 68)
10. Skoda Scala – 25 (down from 32)

SMALL CARS OVER $40,000

In the premium small car sector, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has jumped back into its usual top position. However, it and the Audi A3 and even the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe were very close in August.

Overall class figures hit 1085 units, and that’s up 71.9 per cent on last August. YTD numbers are down 20.7 per cent. See below for the top five best-selling vehicles in this segment during August 2022:

1. Mercedes-Benz A-Class – 295 (up from 230)
2. Audi A3 – 269 (down from 330)
3. BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe – 219 (up from 149)
4. BMW 1 Series – 198 (up from 140)
5. Nissan LEAF – 38 (up from 12)

MEDIUM CARS UNDER $60,000

Over in the conservative car class, the Toyota Camry continues its dominance while most others around it struggle. Camry sales are down 16.7 per cent for the month and down 13.9 per cent YTD, perhaps showing a sign of the change in trends. The Mazda6 experienced a little rise in August, as did the Hyundai Sonata.

Segment sales topped 1537 units during the month. That’s down 14.6 per cent on last August, and contributes to a 15.2 per cent decline across YTD. See below for the top five best-selling vehicles in this class during August 2022:

1. Toyota Camry – 1184 (down from 1222)
2. Mazda6 – 217 (up from 101)
3. Volkswagen Passat – 67 (up from 60)
4. Hyundai Sonata – 33 (up from 24)
5. Honda Accord – 18 (equal)

MEDIUM CARS OVER $60,000

Luxury mid-sizers were led by the Tesla Model 3 in August, but again, we are very suspicious of these numbers. Mercedes-Benz C-Class figures helped it continue its led over the common rivals, with the BMW 3 Series not far behind. Most of the top five list remained unchanged.

Total class numbers were obviously blown out by the Tesla, with 3538 units translating to a huge 381.4 per cent increase on last August’s figures. Year-to-date, the segment is experiencing a 77.4 per cent increase. See below for the top five best-selling vehicles in this segment during August 2022:

1. Tesla Model 3 – 2380 (up from 4)
2. Mercedes-Benz C-Class – 306 (down from 360)
3. BMW 3 Series – 246 (up from 122)
4. Mercedes-Benz CLA – 132 (up from 109)
5. BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe – 99 (up from 81)

LARGE CARS UNDER $70,000

The big sedans took a hit in August, with just 86 sales in total. That translates to a 44.5 per cent decline from last August. However, YTD, the segment sits at 2371 units, which is actually up 48.6 per cent. Even still we don’t foresee a bright future here, unfortunately. The only vehicles listed in this class in VFACTS for August 2022 recorded the following figures:

1. Kia Stinger – 49 (down from 112 in July)
2. Skoda Superb – 37 (down from 58)

LARGE CARS OVER $70,000

The luxury version of the category above wasn’t so grim in August, with the BMW 5 Series posting decent figures. The Porsche Taycan continues to record impressive interest, especially for a high-end model line, while the Genesis G80 joins the top five for the month.

Overall class figures topped 185 units for the month, which is up 18.6 per cent on last August. So far this year (through August) the segment has recorded 1374 sales, and that’s down 31.8 per cent on the same period last year. The top five best-selling vehicles in this segment during August 2022 were as follows:

1. BMW 5 Series – 64 (up from 41)
2. Mercedes-Benz E-Class – 36 (up from 28)
3. Audi A6 – 28 (down from 33)
4. Porsche Taycan – 25 (down from 42)
5. Genesis G80 – 15 (up from 3)

SPORTS CARS UNDER $80,000

Entry-level sports cars were dominated by the Ford Mustang once again. It remains as the most popular sports car outright, across all segments. Its effort for August was up a massive 480 per cent on last August. Elsewhere, the Subaru BRZ recorded decent numbers while its twin-under-the-skin, Toyota 86, posted zero sales. That’s because the new GR 86 is just around the corner. Meanwhile the new Nissan Z jumped on the board for the first time. It will be interesting to see how this one goes in the future.

Class figures reached 510 units for the month, which is up 144 per cent. So far this year the category has posted 2776 sales, and that’s down 26.3 per cent. The top five best-selling vehicles in this class during August 2022 were as follows:

1. Ford Mustang – 261 (up from 199 in July 2022)
2. Subaru BRZ – 98 (down from 162)
3. Mazda MX-5 – 58 (up from 45) / BMW 2 Series – 58 (up from 3)
4. MINI Cabrio – 24 (up from 9)
5. Nissan Z – 11 (new model)

SPORT CARS OVER $80,000

Into the higher-end stuff and we see the BMW 4 Series coupe/convertible maintains its lead, by a decent margin in August. The Mercedes C-Class rival is far behind in second spot, while the Corvette and Audi A5 remain in similar positions to the month prior.

Segment figures topped 316 units, which is up 43 per cent on last August. Overall YTD numbers are at 2025 units, which is down 21.7 per cent on the same eight-month period last year. The top five best-selling models in this segment during August 2022 were as follows:

1. BMW 4 Series – 124 (up from 53)
2. Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe/Convertible – 53 (up from 46)
3. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe/Convertible – 34 (up from 20)
4. Chevrolet Corvette – 32 (up from 24)
5. Audi A5 – 25 (up from 15)

SPORT CARS OVER $200,000

At the top of the sports car foodchain we see the Porsche 911 is still in front, but only just in August. Ferrari models edged very close, although the fact that 911 sales are down quite a bit from the previous month probably has more to do with it.

Segment sales reached 101 units for the month, and that’s up 6.3 per cent on last August. Meanwhile YTD the segment is seeing a 7.1 per cent increase, with 815 sales in total so far this year. See below for the top five best-selling vehicles in this class during August 2022:

1. Porsche 911 – 25 (down from 50)
2. Ferrari Coupe/Convertible – 23 (up from 15)
3. Lamborghini Coupe/Convertible – 20 (up from 12)
4. McLaren Coupe/Convertible – 13 (up from 0)
5. Bentley Coupe/Convertible – 8 (up from 3)

COMBINED 4×2 AND 4×4 UTES

In this very popular category we are seeing some of the fiercest competition we’ve ever seen. Lots of fancy new models and updates are making this class the all-round go-to option for many Aussie buyers.

See below for the sales results for 4×2 and 4×4 models combined (for models available in both driveline configurations) for August 2022:

1. Toyota HiLux – 6214 (down from 6441 in July)
2. Ford Ranger – 4497 (up from 2934)
3. Mitsubishi Triton – 2087 (up from 1879)
4. Isuzu D-Max – 1928 (down from 1930)
5. Great Wall Motors Ute – 934 (up from 826)
6. Mazda BT-50 – 644 (down from 887)
7. Nissan Navara – 517 (up from 483)

Over in the 4×4-exclusive ute class, and again the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series leads the way. Despite a pause on orders for the robust truck being put in place a couple of months ago, the monthly stats just keep climbing. In other areas, the LDV T60 mains a strong position in second, while the Chevrolet Silverado jumps back into the top five. See below for the top five best-selling vehicles in this segment during August 2022:

1. Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series – 1166 (up from 975)
2. LDV T60 – 612 (up from 516)
3. RAM 1500 – 499 (up from 383)
4. Volkswagen Amarok – 300 (up from 227)
5. Chevrolet Silverado – 195 (up from 102)

BEST-SELLING SUVS IN ALL SEGMENTS

Rounding out our coverage is the SUVs. As we saw at the beginning, the Toyota RAV4 maintains its position as the favourite SUV on the market, while the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling premium SUV for the month.

The medium sub-$60k segment saw the highest sales out of each category, with 13,871 units (up 8.8 per cent YTD), followed by the small sub-$40k segment with 10,933 sales (down 8.4 per cent YTD), and then the large sub-$70k segment with 10,546 sales (up 4.3 per cent YTD).

See below for the top five best-selling SUVs in all segments during August 2022:

SUV Light (no price range):

• Kia Stonic – 788 (up from 585)
• Toyota Yaris Cross – 770 (up from 616)
• Suzuki Jimny – 672 (up from 394)
• Volkswagen T-Cross – 670 (up from 423)
• Hyundai Venue – 582 (down from 724)

SUV Small under $40,000:

• Mazda CX-30 – 1516 (up from 1226)
• MG ZS – 1463 (up from 1229)
• Mitsubishi ASX – 1100 (up from 858)
• Subaru XV – 960 (up from 676)
• Kia Seltos – 869 (up from 744)

SUV Small above $40,000:

• Audi Q3 – 483 (down from 549)
• Volvo XC40 – 297 (up from 267)
• Mercedes-Benz GLA – 282 (down from 325)
• BMW X1 – 252 (up from 225)
• Audi Q2 – 100 (down from 101)

SUV Medium under $60,000:

• Toyota RAV4 – 2482 (up from 2437)
• Mazda CX-5 – 2325 (down from 2346)
• Hyundai Tucson – 1719 (down from 2186)
• Mitsubishi Outlander – 1568 (up from 1310)
• Kia Sportage – 1237 (down from 1837)

SUV Medium above $60,000:

• Tesla Model Y – 1017 (new model)
• BMW X3 – 420 (up from 419)
• Mercedes-Benz GLC – 316 (down from 488)
• Volvo XC60 – 299 (up from 218)
• Audi Q5 – 227 (up from 140)

SUV Large under $70,000:

• Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 1903 (up from 1047)
• Toyota Kluger – 1682 (down from 1766)
• Isuzu MU-X – 872 (up from 818)
• Kia Sorento – 801 (up from 666)
• Subaru Outback – 694 (down from 759)

SUV Large above $70,000:

• Mercedes-Benz GLE – 314 (down from 352)
• BMW X5 – 242 (down from 261)
• Land Rover Defender – 133 (down from 153)
• Lexus RX – 124 (up from 72)
• Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe – 107 (up from 102)

SUV Upper Large under $100,000:

• Toyota LandCruiser – 1213 (up from 1171)
• Nissan Patrol – 496 (up from 298)

SUV Upper Large above $100,000:

• Mercedes-Benz GLS – 115 (up from 98)
• BMW X7 – 89 (equal)
• Audi Q8 – 44 (down from 58)
• Range Rover – 28 (up from 4)
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class – 24 (down from 44)