VFACTS: Incremental increase for February

THE FCAI, the peak body for Australia’s automotive industry, has today released new vehicle sales figures for February 2022.

A total of 85,340 vehicles were sold in February over a period of 24 selling days, an increase of 1.6 per cent or 1363 vehicles on February 2021 and a positive gain despite the ongoing impacts of pandemic-related supply and shipping constraints and the prevailing global microprocessor shortage.

As an average, there were 56.8 new vehicles sold each day for the year’s second month.

“Global supply chains for microprocessor units are still some distance from full recovery, so we are pleased to see this small increase on 2021 figures,” FCAI CEO Tony Weber said.

“The consumer demand for new cars in Australia remains strong, and manufacturers are continuing to work hard to get cars into the hands of motorists,” he added.

Across the country, Northern Territory sales fell by the furthest margin, down 5.6 per cent with 705 vehicles sold. Next was New South Wales, whose total monthly sales figures dropped 3.5 per cent with 26,360 units sold, followed by the ACT, down 2.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2021 with 1356 unit sales.

Western Australia fell just 1.7 per cent compared to the same time last year, selling a total of 8409 vehicles.

All other states and territories recorded a modest uptick in sales for February with Tasmania making the largest increase of 16.6 per cent with 1561 vehicles sold. South Australian new car sales rose by 8.9 per cent with 5810 units sold, while Victorian sales increased by 5.5 per cent with total monthly sales of 22,177 units.

Queensland was the final remaining state to record an increase in sales, up 3.8 per cent with sales of 18,962 new vehicles.

Toyota continued its dominance of the Australian new car market with February sales of 20,886 units. The Japanese manufacturer now accounts for almost one in every four vehicles sold in Australia with a February market share of 24.5 per cent. Toyota leads the market with a margin of 12,204 unit sales over Mitsubishi, or 14.2 market share points.

Toyota was followed in second place by Mazda with 8782 unit sales (10.3%), Mitsubishi in third place with 7813 new car sales (9.2%), Kia in fourth (5881 units and 6.9%) and Hyundai in fifth (5649 units and 6.6%).

The Toyota HiLux (pictured) continues to be Australia’s most popular new car model with 4803 units sold across the month of February. Toyota also placed second for the month with its RAV4 selling 4454 units ahead of third-place Mitsubishi Triton (3811 units), fourth-place Ford Ranger (3455 units), and the Toyota LandCruiser Prado in fifth place (2778 units).

Light commercial utility and SUV models took all but one place in the top 10 model sales list for February 2022, the Hyundai i30 the only passenger-car offering to make the list. The popular hatch and sedan range amassed 1756 sales for the month of February, finishing the month in ninth place.

The FCAI says the passenger vehicle market is down by 3509 units (-18.3%) over the same month last year, showing a continuing trend against sedan and hatch models. Conversely, SUV sales are up by 2284 units (+5.4%), light commercial vehicle sales are up by 2383 units (12.3%) and heavy commercial vehicles sales are up by 205 units (+7.3%) versus February last year.

VFACTS: Top 10 makes in February 2022

VFACTS: Top 10 models in February 2022

VFACTS: Top vehicle sales by state in February 2022