VFACTS September 2023: Records smashed again as utes fill three of top four spots, Tesla Model Y best-selling passenger vehicle

New-car sales records were smashed for the third month in a row – according to data released today – as utes filled the three of the top four positions and the electric Tesla Model Y cemented its position as the best-selling passenger vehicle by pulling ahead of the former favourite, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

The Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are locked in a head-to-head battle for top honours for the year – with the Ford Ranger now a strong chance to end the Toyota HiLux ute’s seven-year winning streak with year-to-date tallies separated by just 1200 sales.

The Tesla Model Y electric SUV has extended its lead over the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid after outselling it for the fourth month in a row.

However, so far this year hybrid cars (69,700 reported as sold to the end of September, 8.1 per cent of the total sales mix) still outsell electric vehicles (65,700 reported as sold to the end of September, 7.6 per cent of the total sales mix).

September 2023 was the third record month in a row for new-car deliveries, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data released today.

The tally of 110,702 new motor vehicles reported as sold was an 18.3 per cent increase on the same month last year, a 7.8 per cent increase on the previous record (102,696) set in 2016, and 13.6 per cent higher than the five-year average for September prior to the global pandemic (97,436).

Despite the record new-car sales results, industry insiders say a slowdown is around the corner even though the Reserve Bank this week held interest rates for the fifth month in a row.

The majority of vehicles reported as sold last month – and so far this year – were ordered months and in some cases years ago and have only just now been ticked off the list after they were delivered to customers.

A number of major car dealer groups – which represent multiple automotive brands – told Drive that while there are still lengthy queues for certain models, the rate of new orders being written has started to slow.

“What today’s sales results don’t show you is what’s happening in showrooms today and what’s coming next,” said one major metropolitan dealer speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to comment on behalf of the brands he sells.

“Before COVID, the monthly sales results were a fair reflection of (consumer) demand for new cars month-to-month because dealers were overflowing with stock.

“Now the sales numbers are a reflection of whose ships turned up.”

Industry analysts say the recent increase in arrivals of new vehicles is expected to ease pressure on the inflated prices for used cars – which represent more than three out of every four motor vehicle transactions each week in Australia.

Evidence of the gradually deflating used-car prices can been seen on social media forums.

Used examples of in-demand models such as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Ford Ranger Raptor were until recently offered for sale with higher than new-car prices.

However, now the same vehicles are being offered for close to or slightly less than new prices, indicating the bubble has burst for certain model variants.

One exception: used cars in the $20,000 to $30,000 bracket continue to hold up given the limited new-car options in that price range.

In other upsets: the MG ZS now outsells the Toyota RAV4 in the year-to-date tally, Ram outsold Jeep by more than two-to-one last month, BMW now outsells Mercedes-Benz in the luxury-car sector, and the Nissan Patrol posted its best monthly result since June 2004 (though was still outsold by the Toyota LandCruiser).

New-car sales in Australia September 2023

Toyota HiLux: 5776, up 11.7 per centFord Ranger: 5429, up 11.0 per centTesla Model Y: 3811, down 12.6 per centIsuzu D-Max: 2885, up 48.4 per centToyota RAV4: 2798, up 50.8 per centMitsubishi Outlander: 2612, up 39.0 per centMG ZS: 2528, up 154.3 per centToyota Corolla: 2217, up 42.7 per centKia Sportage: 2031, up 14.4 per centFord Everest: 1984, up 147.4 per centToyota Prado: 1976, up 16.4 per centMazda CX-5: 1888, down 22.6 per centNissan X-Trail: 1784, up 259 per centHyundai Tucson: 1678, up 6.3 per cent Hyundai i30: 1648, down 4.9 per cent

Top-selling car brands in Australia September 2023

Toyota: 20,912, up 40.8 per centMazda: 8031, up 10.6 per centFord: 8015, up 20.8 per centKia: 7303, up 0.2 per centHyundai: 6217, down 4.4 per centMitsubishi: 5761, down 15.1 per centMG: 5400, up 65.6 per centTesla: 5177, down 13.3 per centNissan: 4784, up 153.8 per centSubaru: 4302, up 35.8 per centVolkswagen: 4184, 13.1 per centIsuzu Ute: 3932, up 39.5 per centGreat Wall Motors Haval (GWM): 2897, down 5.0 per centBMW: 2354, up 15.8 per centMercedes-Benz Cars: 1702, down 24.0 per centLDV: 1665, up 1.5 per centAudi: 1625, up 13.6 per centLexus: 1498, up 267.2 per centSuzuki: 1467, down 15.2 per cent

New-car sales year-to-date September 2023

Toyota HiLux: 44,301, down 5.1 per centFord Ranger: 43,073, up 34.1 per centTesla Model Y: 23,457, up 336 per centMG ZS: 23,152, up 64.6 per centToyota RAV4: 22,388, down 17.5 per centIsuzu D-Max: 21,479, up 11.6 per centMitsubishi Outlander: 17,762, up 26.9 per centMazda CX-5: 16,895, down 20.0 per centHyundai i30: 16,492, down 4.2 per cent Hyundai Tucson: 16,173, up 26.0 per cent Tesla Model 3: 14,540, up 68.2 per centToyota Corolla: 14,376, down 23.6 per centToyota Prado: 12,825, down 27.2 per centMazda CX-3: 12,239, up 57.3 per centSubaru Forester: 12,113, up 60.5 per centMG3: 12,085, up 4.1 per centKia Sportage: 11,113, down 18.4 per cent

Top-selling car brands year-to-date September 2023

Toyota: 154,658, down 12.3 per centMazda: 75,820, up 1.8 per centFord: 61,204, up 34.6 per centKia: 59,123, down 1.8 per centHyundai: 56,958, down 2.0 per centMitsubishi: 45,714, down 24.5 per centMG: 42,807, up 26.4 per centTesla: 37,997, up 171 per centSubaru: 35,063, up 35.1 per centIsuzu Ute: 32,341, up 19.1 per centVolkswagen: 31,843, up 47.1 per centNissan: 28,694, up 36.7 per centGreat Wall Motors Haval (GWM): 25,887, up 58.1 per centBMW: 19,040, up 4.7 per centMercedes-Benz Cars: 18,490, down 14.2 per centLDV: 16,115, up 40.5 per centAudi: 13,613, down 29.3 per centSuzuki: 13,228, down 21.8 per centLexus: 11,483, up 114.3 per cent

Passenger cars: Top Three in each segment in September 2023

MicroKia Picanto (933)Fiat/Abarth 500 (63)Mitsubishi Mirage (0)Light < $30kMG 3 (1443)Suzuki Swift (632)Mazda 2 (321)Light > $30kMini Hatch (237)Audi A1 (50)Skoda Fabia (32)Small < $40kToyota Corolla (2217)Hyundai i30 (1648)Mazda 3 (491)Small > $40kMG 4 (645)Volkswagen Golf (432)Audi A3 (334)Medium < $60kToyota Camry (1089)Skoda Octavia (152)Mazda 6 (100)Medium > $60kTesla Model 3 (1366)BMW 3 Series (252)Polestar 2 (111)Large < $70kKia Stinger (49)Skoda Superb (26)Citroen C5 X (17)Large > $70kPorsche Taycan (54)BMW 5 Series (47)Mercedes-Benz E-Class (46)Upper Large < $100kChrysler 300 (0)Upper Large > $100kBMW 7 Series/i7 (22)Mercedes-Benz S-Class (9)Porsche Panamera (8)People MoversKia Carnival (1123)Hyundai Staria (64)Mercedes-Benz V-Class (35)Sports < $80kSubaru BRZ (158)Toyota GR86 (91)BMW 2 Series coupe/convertible (81)Sports > $80kBMW 4 Series coupe/convertible (111)Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe/convertible (57)Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (42)Sports > $200kPorsche 911 (86)Lamborghini, Ferrari sports cars (23)Bentley Continental (9)

SUVs: Top Three in each segment in September 2023

Light SUVMazda CX-3 (1531)Toyota Yaris Cross (641)Kia Stonic (522)Small SUV < $45kMG ZS (2528)Hyundai Kona (1218)Mazda CX-30 (1205)Small SUV > $45kBMW X1 (516)Volvo XC40 (453)Audi Q3 (342)Medium SUV < $60kToyota RAV4 (2798)Mitsubishi Outlander (2612)Kia Sportage (2031)Medium SUV > $60kTesla Model Y (3811)Lexus NX (772)Mercedes-Benz GLC (577)Large SUV < $70kFord Everest (1984)Toyota Prado (1976)Subaru Outback (1355)Large SUV > $70kLand Rover Defender (501)Lexus RX (286)BMW X5 (251)Upper Large SUV < $120kToyota LandCruiser wagon (1404)Nissan Patrol wagon (1208)Land Rover Discovery (73)Upper Large SUV > $120kRange Rover (77)Lexus LX (76)BMW X7 (63)

Utes and vans: Top Three in each segment in September 2023

Vans < 2.5tVolkswagen Caddy (73)Peugeot Partner (26)Renault Kangoo (1)Vans 2.5t-3.5tToyota HiAce van (708)LDV G10/G10+ (309)Hyundai Staria Load (215)4×2 UtesToyota HiLux (1046)Isuzu D-Max (546)Ford Ranger (305)4×4 Utes < $100kFord Ranger (5124)Toyota HiLux (4730)Isuzu D-Max (2339)Utes > $100kRam 1500 (586)Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (238)Chevrolet Silverado HD (92)

Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries VFACTS data.

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