VFACTS: Another record month for February

SALES of new vehicles in Australia again defied doom-and-gloom last month with 105,023 deliveries setting a new February record, according to VFACTS figures, and the highest market share for battery electric vehicles (BEV) yet. 

February 2024 is up 18,145 vehicles, or 20.9 per cent, over the same month last year. As this year was a leap year, an additional day of sales was added over last year (25 selling days versus 24) with a net resulting increase of 581 sales per day. 

The Ford Ranger was the most popular new vehicle sold in February, with 5353 of the utes shifted (up 19.7 per cent over February 2023), followed by the Toyota HiLux (4403, up 11.8 per cent), Tesla Model 3 (3593, up 34.5 per cent as facelifted Highland models hit the streets) and Isuzu D-Max (2941, up 52.3 per cent). 

Vehicles in the top 10 that showed the most growth over the same month last year were the Nissan X-Trail (in seventh position with a 283.5 per cent increase), Toyota Corolla (eighth, 100.9 per cent) and Toyota LandCruiser (sixth, 51.0 per cent). 

Nissan posted the strongest YTD improvement, with 85.6 per cent higher volume (from 5021 to 9317) to the end of February 2024 than the same period last year, returning the Japanese brand to the nation's top 10 list. 

Even though remains the second-most popular brand in Australia, Mazda’s volume was down 9.1 per cent over the same YTD figures achieved last year. 

The vehicle type that sold the most was SUVs, with 57,773 units, followed by light commercials, with 23,765 vehicles sold. In third was passenger vehicles with 19,610 cars sold, and lastly heavy commercial vehicles represented 3875 units in the sales tally. 

Australia’s passenger vehicle market rose by 3175 units (19.3 per cent) over the February 2023 results – the Tesla Model 3 doing much of the heavy lifting – while SUVs were up by 9885 units (20.6 per cent). 

Light commercials pumped up by 5015 vehicles (26.7 per cent) and heavy commercials increased by a total of 70 vehicles (1.8 per cent) over the same month last year.  

Toyota predictably sold more vehicles than any other brand in February, with 19,374 sales, ahead of Mazda with 7350. Hot on Mazda’s heels was Ford, with 7275 vehicles sold, followed by Nissan with 6617 and Mitsubishi with 6411 units, while rounding out the top five for the month was Kia with 6141 vehicles sold. 

In the YTD top 10 marques tally, Toyota continued as Australia’s market leader by the end of February, with its 37,277 deliveries a comfortable 12,024 margin ahead of second-placed Mazda, on 15,515 sales. 

Ford is in third place, with 13,899 units, then Mitsubishi (12,322), Hyundai (11,865), Kia (11,848), Nissan (9317), MG (8480), Isuzu Ute (8450) and Subaru (6870).  

Every state and territory posted a sales increase over the same month in 2023. Sales in the Australian Capital Territory were up 19.9 per cent (1743), New South Wales 15.7 per cent (31,943), Queensland 21.9 per cent (22,466), South Australia 16.3 per cent (6451), Tasmania 28.5 per cent (1817), Victoria 29.8 per cent (28,415), Western Australia 15.3 per cent (11,317), and Northern Territory 20.1 per cent (871). 

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries CEO Tony Weber took the opportunity of the VFACTS release to express the lobby group’s concerns over the Australian Government’s proposed New Vehicle Emissions Standard.  

“Australian motorists’ strong preference for utes, accounting for 20.3 per cent of sales this month, demonstrates the challenges with the proposed New Vehicle Emissions Standard," he said. 

“Out of 21,327 utes sold in February, only one was an EV,” he pointed out. The only electric ute on the Australian market is the LDV eT60 its importer Ateco has admitted, in these very pages, is “shithouse”. 

Battery electric vehicles accounted for 9.6 per cent of sales in February, while one in five vehicles sold were powered by hybrid or other low-emissions technologies.  

“Growing sales of electric vehicles across other market segments proves that where a battery electric product exists which suits the driving habits of Australian motorists, work and recreation needs they will purchase these vehicles,” Mr Weber said. 

Top 10 vehicle sales by make (February 2024): 

Top 10 vehicle sales by model (February 2024): 

State by state (February 2024)): 

*All data supplied courtesy of the FCAI.