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Industry sales for September 2016 reveal the segment expanded by 18 percent compared with the same month last year. In the same year-on-year analysis, passenger cars fell nine percent, SUVs grew by seven percent, and heavy-commercial vehicles barely moved (up less than one percent).
September reflects a year-to-date trend where light-commercials are out-pacing even SUVs, albeit by just a single percent: 11 percent versus 10 percent.
Here, WhichCar focuses on the top 5 best-selling utes in each of the 4x2 and 4x4 segments, as well as the overall battle.
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UTES OVERALL
If the Ford Ranger could replicate its 4x4 form in the 4x2 market, the Toyota HiLux’s decades-long reign as Australia’s most popular workhorse ute would be under genuine threat.
The locally developed Ranger took September honours in the four-wheel-drive ute class though had only about half its rival’s sales in the rear-drive class. The HiLux’s combined total of 3209 units last month pushed it past 30,000 sales for 2016, with the Ranger a clear second for both September (2903) and year to date (26,940).
The Mitsubishi Triton totalled 2246 for third, despite a relatively disappointing 4x2 result. In fourth was the Holden Colorado with 1732, and the Isuzu D-Max registered 1400 units to slot into fifth – just ahead of the Mazda BT-50 (1361). The September placements matched overall positions exactly.
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Top 5 September
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Toyota HiLux | 3209 |
2. | Ford Ranger | 2903 |
3. | Mitsubishi Triton | 2246 |
4. | Holden Colorado | 1732 |
5. | Isuzu D-Max | 1400 |
Top 5 2016 (to September)
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Toyota HiLux | 30,827 |
2. | Ford Ranger | 26,940 |
3. | Mitsubishi Triton | 17,338 |
4. | Holden Colorado | 14,407 |
5. | Isuzu D-Max | 11,806 |
4X2 UTES
The HiLux clearly didn’t have one of its better months in September 2015 as last month’s 898 units marked a quadrupling of sales year-on-year. Neither the Mazda BT-50 nor Isuzu D-Max feature in the 4x4 top 5 but they’re consistently strong performers in the rear-wheel-drive segment.
The Mazda took second, one place higher than where it sits in the overall 2016 race; there was a similar result for the Isuzu, albeit one place further down the table. The Ford Ranger was only four units behind and remains a solid runner-up so far overall.
Holden’s Commodore Ute isn’t a ‘one-tonner’ commercial vehicle, though the car-based utility is still popular with tradies and it again outsold its Colorado stablemate (356 v 204).
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Top 5 4x2 September
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Toyota HiLux | 898 |
2. | Mazda BT-50 | 549 |
3. | Isuzu D-Max | 456 |
4. | Ford Ranger | 452 |
5. | Holden Commodore Ute | 356 |
Top 5 4x2 2016 (to September)
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Toyota HiLux | 8303 |
2. | Ford Ranger | 4502 |
3. | Mazda BT-50 | 3935 |
4. | Isuzu D-Max | 3742 |
5. | Holden Commodore Ute | 3719 |
4X4 UTES
The four-wheel-drive utility segment is providing a fascinating battle between the HiLux and Ranger. The Ford triumphed in September with 2451 sales to close the year-to-date gap to the Toyota – now just a paltry 86 units.
Even if the HiLux looks unbeatable in the overall race (see above), victory in the 4x4 race would still be a stunning result for the older ute – and particularly important considering 4x4s outsell their 4x2 counterparts by a considerable margin.
While the Triton struggled last month in 4x2s, the 4x4 version jumped 23 percent to break the 2000-unit barrier and take the final place on the podium. Holden’s recently updated Colorado was fourth, rising 15 percent, with the Nissan Navara just edging out the Isuzu D-Max (969 v 944) for fifth.
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Top 5 4x4 September
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Ford Ranger | 2451 |
2. | Toyota HiLux | 2311 |
3. | Mitsubishi Triton | 2012 |
4. | Holden Colorado | 1528 |
5. | Nissan Navara | 969 |
Top 5 4x4 2016 (to September)
Rank | Brand | Sales |
1. | Toyota HiLux | 22,524 |
2. | Ford Ranger | 22,438 |
3. | Mitsubishi Triton | 14,066 |
4. | Holden Colorado | 12,885 |
5. | Nissan Navara | 10,673 |
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