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SUVs outsell cars as total sales slow

SUVs outsold passenger cars in February, but this didn’t stop the Toyota Corolla regaining top spot.

Jez Spinks
Siteassets Authors Jez Spinks Headshot 3
2017 Toyota Corolla Jpg
Gallery3

The Toyota Corolla topped February’s car sales chart in a rare highlight for passenger cars in a month when they were outsold by SUVs here for the first time in history.

Corolla’s result was achieved despite being among numerous models that slipped in sales compared with the same period in 2016.

It edged out its ute stablemate, the HiLux, by just six units, while January’s table-topper, the Mazda 3, occupied third place as the only other vehicle to register more than 3000 sales.

2017 Mazda CX-5
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The HiLux was joined by the Ford Ranger (fourth, 2931 units) and Toyota RAV4 (eighth, 1726) as the only models in February to increase sales compared with February 2016.

Mazda’s ever-popular CX-5 led the way for SUVs last month, placing seventh with 1933 units. The model is in run-out mode ahead of the second-generation version’s impending launch.

The Holden Commodore only just managed to squeeze into the top 10 after its year-on-year figures showed a 33 per cent slump.

Overall vehicle sales fell 8 percent in February, contributing to a 4 percent year on year decline that could point to an end of Australia’s run of successive record sales years.

Sales for 2017 by the end of February trail the same point in 2016 by 6881 vehicles.

2017 Toyota HiLux
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Toyota was Australia’s most popular brand yet again – its 16,308 February sales well clear of second-placed Mazda (9923).

Mitsubishi made the most notable moves in the top 10 brand ladder, securing fourth place with 5758 units – albeit in a close battle with Holden (5724) and Ford (5669).

Volkswagen also outsold Nissan for the month – 4618 versus 4425 – in a rare switch of positions.

After the first two months of 2017, only Toyota, Kia and Subaru can point to positive growth compared with the combined sales of January and February 2016.

Top 10 Cars – February 2017

  1. Toyota Corolla 3392
  2. Toyota HiLux 3386
  3. Mazda 3 3143
  4. Ford Ranger 2931
  5. Hyundai i30 2003
  6. Mitsubishi Triton 1990
  7. Mazda CX-5 1933
  8. Toyota RAV4 1726
  9. Hyundai Tucson 1596
  10. Holden Commodore 1566
Jez Spinks
Chief Content Officer
Siteassets Authors Jez Spinks Headshot 3

Jez brings decades of experience and insight as a journalist and road tester to the WhichCar team. He has written for Wheels and Motor in years past, along with a tour as a writer and then editor for Drive under the Fairfax umbrella.


 

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