It’s the classic ‘V’ graph scenario as VFACTS figures show a better-than-expected vehicle sales result after a pedestrian start to 2009
The last chance to snare government tax incentives, discount pricing, continuing low interest rates, and a recovering economy all fuelled a year-end sales surge in 2009.
But while the entire motor industry saw December figures rise by almost 16 per cent year-on-year, 2009 ended up trailing 2008 by 7.4 per cent overall. The final total was 937,328 new vehicle sales, compared to 1,012,164 for 2008 and 2007’s record 1,049,982.
Nevertheless 2009 was better than anybody had dared hope 12 months earlier, when the then-unfolding global financial crisis had some experts predicting just 850,000 sales.
Passenger vehicle, light commercial and SUV volume were all down by single-digit percentage points, but heavy commercial sales tumbled by 23.3 per cent as businesses delayed big-ticket spending.
Business demand fell least, though, with a 1.2 per cent drop, compared with the fall-off in the private (8.0 per cent), government (12.8 per cent) and rental (29 per cent) markets.
In fact, the only growth areas in the entire industry were business SUV and business light commercial sales, which were up very slightly for the year. More than one in five vehicles sold during 2009 wore a Toyota badge, making the Japanese manufacturer number one seven years on the trot. Toyota’s market share was a solid 21.4 per cent, yet its volume was actually 15.9 per cent down on 2008 levels.
And it was runner-up Holden (119,568 sales – down 8.3 per cent) that scored Australia’s best-selling car, with the Commodore holding on to its title for a record 14th consecutive year, beating the Corolla small car by 44,387 to 39,013 sales.
Both fleet favourites fell year-on-year, however, by 13.1 and 18.6 per cent respectively. And so did the Toyota HiLux (down about 10 per cent), but its 2009 tally of 38,457 was still well clear of the improving Mazda3’s 35,298 total (up 4.6 per cent).
Some 10,000 units separated the fifth-placed (and slipping) Ford Falcon from the high-flying Hyundai i30 (31,023 versus 21,414), with the latter doubling its 2008 tally to eclipse the Mitsubishi Lancer by just 218 sales.
By the way, Ford (96,501 – down 7.8 per cent), Mazda (77,739 – down 2.6 per cent), Hyundai (up an industry-leading 39.2 per cent to 63,207 units) and Mitsubishi (56,998 – down 6.1 per cent) occupied the next four spots in the manufacturer’s top-10 ladder.
Meanwhile the Australian-made Toyota Camry snuck in at number eight with 20,846 units (down 9.6 per cent), to put the medium-sized sedan ahead of the Hyundai Getz (19,643 – up 13.8 per cent). The Getz now leads the light-car segment ahead of the withering Toyota Yaris (down 25.5 per cent).
Nissan’s two-pronged Navara attack (D22 and premium D40) saw the HiLux rival occupy the tenth spot (to only just stave off the increasingly more popular Mitsubishi Triton ute), but the company suffered a 10.7 per cent decline overall (to 52,901 units).
Still, that was better than eighth-placed Honda’s annus horribilis; its sales plummeted 21.2 per cent, mainly due to supply issues earlier in 2009. Honda still did enough to keep Subaru (36,506 – down 5.2 per cent) and Volkswagen (30,087 – up 0.7 per cent) behind, at numbers nine and ten.
Consolidation is the buzzword for 2010, with the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) forecasting vehicle sales to stay in the vicinity of 940,000 units.
Describing the 2009 result as exceptional under the broader economic backdrop, FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar stated that the Australian industry stood its ground against an uncertain global economy.
“The ‘game changing’ measure that restored confidence in the marketplace and stimulated additional demand was the bonus tax break for business,” McKellar rightly concluded.
– Byron Mathioudakis
