VFACTS: Australia's 2021 new car sales detailed in full

A smidgen under 1.05 million new cars were counted as sold during a turbulent 2021, up 14.5 per cent. But supply issues are still a factor.

6 Jan 2022 at 3:16 pm

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Mike Costello

Senior Contributor

Mike Costello

Senior Contributor

New vehicle sales in Australia climbed 14.5 per cent in 2021 over 2020, despite ongoing supply shortages leading to wait times and limited opportunities for discounts.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) today said 1,049,831 new vehicles were counted as sold for the calendar year, up from 916,968 during the interrupted 2020.

In brief:

HiLux edges Ranger into top spot
Toyota top, Mazda second, Hyundai edges out Ford for third
MG ninth, Great Wall 14th as Brand China grows at pace
Private sales growing, business fleets far less so
Electric vehicles up almost 200 per cent

Brands

Toyota was the top-selling brand for the 25th straight year, and the HiLux was the nation’s top-selling vehicle for the sixth year in a row. Toyota also made the top-selling passenger vehicle (Corolla) and SUV (RAV4) in market.

Toyota has been market leader in 1991-94, 1998, 2000 and every year since 2003. It has also been the leader in commercial vehicles since 1979 – an unbroken run of 43 years.

In fact, Toyota products topped nine different market segments (Small Car, Medium Car, Medium SUV, Large SUV, Upper Large SUV, Light Buses, Medium Buses, Vans 2.5-3.5t, and 4×4 Utes), further showing its dominance.

Second was Mazda, up 18.1 per cent with 101,119 sales, making it the only other OEM to hit above 100,000 annual sales.

Hyundai snared third with 72,872, just edging Ford (71,380) into fourth. The two brands grew respectively by 12.4 and 19.8 per cent. Rounding out the top five was Kia on 67,964, up 21.2 per cent – meaning the number-two Korean brand got pretty close to knocking off its Hyundai sibling.

Positions six to 10 on the list were occupied by Mitsubishi (67,730, up 16.1 per cent), Nissan (41,263, up 7.7 per cent), Volkswagen (40,770, up 3.8 per cent), MG (39,025, up 155.9 per cent, becoming the first Chinese brand to make the top 10), and Subaru (37,015, up 17.5 per cent).

Knocking on the door were Isuzu Ute (35,735 sales, up 61.6 per cent), luxury leader Mercedes-Benz (33,034 sales, down 8.8 per cent including both passenger and commercials), BMW (24,891, up 5.8 per cent), Great Wall Motor – GWM and Haval – (18,384 sales, up a staggering 251.2 per cent from a low base), and Honda (17,562, down 39.5 per cent in a poor return).

Smaller-volume car makers that grew at a greater rate than the overall market included LDV (up 62.9 per cent), Skoda (up 39.0 per cent), Volvo (up 17.2 per cent), Jeep (up 35.0 per cent), Ram Trucks (up 21.2 per cent), SsangYong (up 70.1 per cent), Peugeot (up 31.8 per cent), and Genesis (up 220.5 per cent).

BRAND	SALES	CHANGE
Toyota	223,642	Up 9.2%
Mazda	101,119	Up 18.1%
Hyundai	72,872	Up 12.4%
Ford	71,380	Up 19.8%
Kia	67,964	Up 21.2%
Mitsubishi	67,732	Up 16.1%
Nissan	41,263	Up 7.7%
Volkswagen	40,770	Up 3.8%
MG	39,025	Up 155.9%
Subaru	37,015	Up 17.5%
Isuzu Ute	35,735	Up 61.6%
Mercedes-Benz	33,034	Down 8.8%
BMW	24,891	Up 5.8%
GWM Haval	18,384	Up 251.2%
Honda	17,562	Down 39.5%
Suzuki	17,468	Up 12.1%
Audi	16,003	Up 0.9%
LDV	15,188	Up 62.9%
Lexus	9,290	Up 5.0%
Skoda	9,185	Up 39.0%
Volvo Car	9,028	Up 17.2%
Jeep	7,762	Up 35.0%
Renault	7,099	Up 2.8%
Land Rover	6,459	Up 1.9%
Porsche	4,428	Up 4.4%
Ram Trucks	4,025	Up 21.2%
Mini	3,579	Up 15.3%
SsangYong	2,978	Up 70.1%
Peugeot	2,805	Up 31.8%
Chevrolet GMSV	2,118	Up >999%
Fiat	2,016	Up 36.2%
Jaguar	1,222	Down 7.8%
Genesis	734	Up 220.5%
Alfa Romeo	618	Down 15.8%
Maserati	560	Up 19.9%
Bentley	219	Up 32.7%
Ferrari	194	Down 5.4%
Citroen	175	Down 13.8%
Chrysler	170	Down 22.0%
Aston Martin	140	Up 52.2%
Lamborghini	131	Up 18.0%
McLaren	88	Up 39.7%
Lotus	71	Up 20.3%
Rolls-Royce	48	Up 14.3%
Alpine	28	Up 300.0%
Morgan	3	Down 50.0%
Caterham	1	No change

Models

Nipping at the HiLux’s heels for top spot was the Ford Ranger, in the outgoing model’s final sales year head of the new model due during 2022. The Ford’s 4×4 sales also topped the HiLux 4×4’s haul (45,986 versus 39,587).

Third overall was the Toyota RAV4, about three-quarters of which were hybrids. Even with current wait lists averaging 11-12 months, sales are simply not abating.

Next spots were occupied by two small cars: the Toyota Corolla and its Hyundai i30 nemesis.

Here’s a list of the top 20:

MODEL	SALES
Toyota HiLux	52,801
Ford Ranger	50,279
Toyota RAV4	35,751
Toyota Corolla	28,768
Hyundai i30	25,575
Isuzu D-Max	25,117
Mazda CX-5	24,968
Toyota Prado	21,299
Mitsubishi Triton	19,232
MG ZS	18,423
Kia Cerato	18,114
Mazda BT-50	15,662
Nissan Navara	15,113
Mitsubishi ASX	14,764
Mitsubishi Outlander	14,572
Toyota L’Cruiser Wagon	14,356
Hyundai Tucson	14,194
Mazda 3	14,126
Nissan X-Trail	13,860
MG 3	13,774

Segments

We can also identify the most popular models in each vehicle segment.

Micro Cars: Kia Picanto (6591), Mitsubishi Mirage (2198), Fiat 500 (739)
Light Cars under $25,000: MG 3 (13,774), Kia Rio (5644), Volkswagen Polo (5125)
Light Cars over $25,000: Mini Hatch (1866), Audi A1 (680), Citroen C3 (88)
Small Cars under $40,000: Toyota Corolla (28,768), Hyundai i30 (25,575), Kia Cerato (18,114)
Small Cars over $40,000: Mercedes-Benz A-Class (3793), BMW 1 Series (2741), BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (2072)
Medium Cars under $60,000: Toyota Camry (13,081), Mazda 6 (1491), Skoda Octavia (1279)
Medium Cars over $60,000: BMW 3 Series (3982), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2832), Mercedes-Benz CLA (1299)
Large Cars under $70,000: Kia Stinger (1407), Skoda Superb (597)
Large Cars over $70,000: Mercedes-Benz E-Class (910), BMW 5 Series (605), Porsche Taycan (531)
Upper LargeCars: Mercedes-Benz S-Class (263), Chrysler 300 (170), BMW 7 Series (81)
People Movers: Kia Carnival (5862), Honda Odyssey (1143), LDV G10 (1064)
Sports Cars under $80,000: Ford Mustang (2827), Mazda MX-5 (744), BMW 2 Series (454)
Sports Cars over $80,000: Mercedes-Benz C-Class (1131), BMW 4 Series (1107), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (337)
Sports Cars over $200,000: Porsche 911 (428), Ferrari range (194), Bentley Continental (100)

Light SUVs: Mazda CX-3 (12,873), Toyota Yaris Cross (7828), Kia Stonic (7645)
Small SUVs under $40,000: MG ZS (18,423), Mitsubishi ASX (14,764), Mazda CX-30 (13,309)
Small SUVs over $40,000: Audi Q3 (5707), Volvo XC40 (3687), BMW X1 (2986)
Medium SUVs under $60,000: Toyota RAV4 (35,751), Mazda CX-5 (24,968), Mitsubishi Outlander (14,572)
Medium SUVs over $60,000: BMW X3 (4242), Volvo XC60 (3688), Audi Q5 (3604)
Large SUVs under $70,000: Toyota Prado (21,299), Isuzu MU-X (10,618),Subaru Outback (10,490)
Large SUVs over $70,000: Mercedes-Benz GLE (3591), BMW X5 (3173), Lexus RX (1908)
Upper Large SUVs under $100,000: Toyota LandCruiser Wagon (14,356), Nissan Patrol (3333)
Upper Large SUVs over $100,000: Mercedes-Benz GLS (1110), BMW X7 (791), Mercedes-Benz G-Class (594)

Light Vans: Renault Kangoo (732), Volkswagen Caddy (691), Peugeot Partner (259)
Medium Vans: Toyota HiAce (9726), LDV G10 (3306), Ford Transit Custom (2488)
Large Vans: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (2997), LDV Deliver 9 (1840), Fiat Ducato (1277)
Light Buses: Toyota HiAce (2427), Toyota Coaster (250), Ford Transit (168)
4×2 Utes: Toyota HiLux (13,214), Isuzu D-Max (6478), Ford Ranger (4293)
4×4 Utes: Ford Ranger (45,986), Toyota HiLux (39,587), Isuzu D-Max (18,639)

Quotes

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said that in the context of pandemic restrictions limiting access to dealerships and international supply issues due to semiconductor shortages, the new vehicle market in Australia “remains positive”.

“Despite the pandemic restricting access to showrooms in 2021, Australian consumers found ways to purchase new vehicles and did so in solid numbers,” Mr Weber said.

“The global shortage of microprocessors, compounded by the pandemic, had an impact on the number of cars sold throughout Australia. Automotive manufacturers are continuing to work to strengthen supply chains in 2022.”

That said, market leader Toyota confirmed today that it wouldn’t see freer supply until the second quarter of the calendar year.