VFACTS: Stock shortages, worst October in 20 years

Enduring global supply chain woes are now being reflected on the Aussie VFACTS charts, which recorded a paltry 74,650 sales in October – the lowest tally for this month since 2002.

Disastrously for the nation’s car brands and dealers, that’s despite strong demand which by most accounts is rushing back as people and business defrost after restrictions.

The October tally was down 8.1 per cent on the same month last year.

Supplier of VFACTS data, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, reaffirmed to CarExpert today that the numbers are cross-checked against registrations. That’s an important point we’ll explain in a bit.

All that said, the total market will probably still sneak over the million annual sales mark – a tally achieved every year since 2009 – with the sole exception of 2020.

The YTD sales of new vehicles in Australia sit at 890,790 to the end of October, up a healthy 22.7 per cent.

FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said it was clear manufacturers were having challenges with supply chains.

“Automotive manufacturers, like all those in the global manufacturing sector, are dealing with a microprocessor shortage which is leading to longer wait times to get products to market. Australians are continuing to purchase vehicles and car makers are working to deliver products to our shores,” Mr Weber said.

Semiconductor shortages – these chips are complicated to make and cars use lots of them – are costing brands millions of sales all over the globe, slowing factories, and causing months-long wait lists on many of Australia’s most popular vehicles.

This is in turn driving used-car prices to record highs.

MORE: Stock shortages, production cuts all over as chip crunch hits MORE: Staggering impact of semiconductor shortage on car industry revealed

Brands

Despite well-publicised supply issues capped by a formal apology, Toyota was still dominant with 15,395 sales (down 21.1 per cent) and 20.6 per cent market share.

Hyundai actually grew its sales (6115, up 2.8 per cent) for the month and leapt into second, ahead of Ford in third position (5462 sales, down 4.9 per cent and counting some 75 per cent cent of its sales as Rangers).

Mazda (5181, down 30.5 per cent on the back of CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9 shortfalls) edged out Kia into fifth (4853, down 8.5 per cent, with Seltos its biggest supply victim by sales).

Mitsubishi (4203, down 6.8 per cent) and Nissan (3397, down 4,0 per cent) were sixth and seventh, ahead of ever-expanding MG (3136 sales, up 86.7 per cent thanks to healthy supply) in eighth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Volkswagen (2912, down 6.4 per cent) and Subaru (2736, down 5.7 per cent), relegating Mercedes-Benz (2486 sales, down 15.2 per cent) and Isuzu Ute (2365, still up 5.0 per cent despite supply lags) to 11th and 12th.

Brands that bucked the trend outside the top dozen included GWM inclusive of Haval (14th spot on the charts with 1692 sales, up some 304.8 per cent) and SsangYong (327 sales, up 93.5 per cent). Fiat also had a ripper (up 72.5 per cent) while Genesis grew its sales from 4 to 61.

Brands that performed below the market average included Honda (1100 sales, down 45.9 per cent in month four of its new ‘agency’ business model). The likes of Renault, Skoda, Porsche, Mini, Audi and Suzuki all fell between 20 and 30 per cent.

Models

The Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux romped it in once again, with the Blue Oval gaining the upper hand and edging closer YTD (HiLux 44,752 versus Ranger 41,686). The Isuzu D-Max finishing fifth meant three of the top five vehicles were utes.

The overall segment breakdown of the top 20 models as listed below comprises six utes, three each classified as small cars, small SUVs, medium SUVs and large SUVs, one light car and one van.

Toyota made seven of the top 20 models, ahead of Hyundai with three, and both MG and Nissan with two.

Segments

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

• Micro Cars: Kia Picanto (467), Mitsubishi Mirage (388), Fiat 500 (124)
• Light Cars under $25,000: MG 3 (1269), Kia Rio (425), Volkswagen Polo (348)
• Light Cars over $25,000: Mini Hatch (95), Audi A1 (44), Citroen C3 (4)
• Small Cars under $40,000: Toyota Corolla (1989), Hyundai i30 (1946), Kia Cerato (1381)
• Small Cars over $40,000: BMW 1 Series (268), Mercedes-Benz A-Class (255), BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (162)
• Medium Cars under $60,000: Toyota Camry (953), Volkswagen Passat (123), Mazda 6 (93)
• Medium Cars over $60,000: BMW 3 Series (310), Mercedes-Benz CLA (123), Lexus ES (79)
• Large Cars under $70,000: Kia Stinger (71), Skoda Superb (40)
• Large Cars over $70,000: Mercedes-Benz E-Class (72), BMW 5 Series (32), Porsche Taycan (16)
• Upper LargeCars: Mercedes-Benz S-Class (19), Chrysler 300 (13), Porsche Panamera/BMW 7 Series/BMW 8 Series GC (3)
• People Movers: Kia Carnival (317), Hyundai Staria (106), LDV G10 (89)
• Sports Cars under $80,000: Ford Mustang (269), Mazda MX-5 (38), Nissan 370Z (27)
• Sports Cars over $80,000: BMW 4 Series (86), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (85), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (22)
• Sports Cars over $200,000: Nissan GT-R (31), Porsche 911 (28), Ferrari range (12)

• Light SUVs: Kia Stonic (638), Toyota Yaris Cross (554), Volkswagen T-Cross (503)
• Small SUVs under $40,000: Mitsubishi ASX (1464), MG ZS (1127), Hyundai Kona (1007)
• Small SUVs over $40,000: Audi Q3 (430), BMW X1 (247), Volvo XC40 (210)
• Medium SUVs under $60,000: Toyota RAV4 (1670), Hyundai Tucson (1532), Nissan X-Trail (1420)
• Medium SUVs over $60,000: Mercedes-Benz GLC (381), BMW X3 (328), Lexus NX (273)
• Large SUVs under $70,000: Toyota Kluger (1275), Subaru Outback (1236), Toyota Prado (1051)
• Large SUVs over $70,000: Mercedes-Benz GLE (307), BMW X5 (194), Audi Q7 (126)
• Upper Large SUVs under $100,000: Toyota LandCruiser Wagon (683*), Nissan Patrol (309)
• Upper Large SUVs over $100,000: Mercedes-Benz GLS (125), Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen (65), BMW X7 (56)

*This number comprises demonstrator versions of the new 300 Series used for test drives, plus the 70 Series five-doors. Which explains the sales despite well-publicised stock freezes on the LC300.

• Light Vans: Volkswagen Caddy (98), Renault Kangoo (57), Peugeot Partner (14)
• Medium Vans: Toyota HiAce (890), Mitsubishi Express (292), LDV G10/G10+ (292)
• Large Vans: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (266), LDV Deliver 9 (213), Fiat Ducato (133)
• Light Buses: Toyota HiAce (223), Toyota Coaster (24), Ford Transit (13)
• 4×2 Utes: Toyota HiLux (1201), Isuzu D-Max (455), Ford Ranger (294)
• 4×4 Utes: Ford Ranger (3841), Toyota HiLux (2760), Toyota LandCruiser 70 (1348)

Miscellaneous

Sales by region

• NSW: 24,380, down 12.2 per cent
• Victoria: 18,701, up 6.3 per cent
• Queensland: 16,159, down 10.3 per cent
• WA: 7386, down 15.4 per cent
• SA: 4948, down 11.9 per cent
• Tasmania: 1321, down 1.6 per cent
• ACT: 1113, down 22.3 per cent
• NT: 642, down 12.4 per cent

Category breakdown

• SUV: 35,343 sales, 47.3 per cent market share
• Light commercials: 19,344 sales, 25.9 per cent market share
• Passenger cars: 15,952 sales, 21.4 per cent market share
• Heavy commercials: 4011 sales, 5.4 per cent market share

Top segments by market share

• 4×4 Utes: 18.8 per cent
• Medium SUV: 15.2 per cent
• Small SUV: 13.0 per cent
• Large SUV: 12.9 per cent
• Small Car: 10.6 per cent

Sales by buyer type

• Private buyers: 36,856, down 5.9 per cent
• Business fleets: 27,142, down 19.2 per cent
• Rental fleets: 4290, up 68.9 per cent
• Government fleets: 2351, down 18.0 per cent

Sales by propulsion or fuel type

• Petrol: 40,717, down 9.1 per cent
• Diesel: 24,807, down 9.0 per cent
• Hybrid: 4378, down 23.7 per cent
• EV minus Tesla*: 461, up 147.8 per cent
• PHEV: 276, up 38.0 per cent
• FCEV: Nil

* Tesla refuses to supply sales information

Sales by country of origin

• Japan: 21,617 units, down 27.0 per cent
• Thailand: 16,729 units, down 3.3 per cent
• Korea: 11,354 units, down 1.6 per cent
• China: 6435 units, up 177.9 per cent
• USA: 3221, up 345.1 per cent

October tallies over time

Previous monthly reports

• September 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• August 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• July 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• June 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• May 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• April 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• March 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• February 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• January 2021 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• December 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• November 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• October 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• September 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• August 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• July 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• June 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• May 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• April 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• March 2020 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)

Got any questions about car sales? Ask away in the comments and I’ll jump in!