Another record-breaking month & impressive increases in deliveries
Each month, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries releases a report detailing the top-selling vehicles across Australia. Pickles’ monthly vehicle report presents the top 10 vehicles from this list and recounts industry news and trends as they affect the Australian market
Market snapshot
The Australian new vehicle market is booming with sales, with February marking the tenth consecutive record-breaking month of growth. Over 105,000 new cars were sold in February, beating out the previous all-time record by 8.9% and resulting in a huge increase of 20.9% compared YoY to results from the same month in 2023. These results are extremely positive and show the resilience of the industry overall, with such drastic growth compared to early 2023 when the motor vehicles sector was still heavily impacted by post-COVID issues. With floods of new vehicles hitting the market, consumers are glad to finally be acquiring their cars after waiting up to 18 months for backorders.
Though sales figures may continue to be record high for the next few months, industry experts are quick to point out that figures are based on the number of cars delivered each month, not the number of orders taken through February. Meaning, we could see numbers dip and plateau as all backlogs are finally supplied to buyers and figures are represented only by new orders.
Overall, the market is still showing a strong consumer preference for utes, while also seeing numbers climb for SUVs, vans and small to mid-sized passenger vehicles. There was also significant growth in electric vehicle sales, with purchases accounting for 9.6% of purchases in February. Interestingly, the division between buyers of utes and those of EVs appears to be growing further apart, with only one single ute sold in February being an electric model.
Most popular vehicles | February 2024
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Ford Ranger - 5,353 units sold in February
The Ford Ranger finished 2023 on top and is starting 2024 in the same way, staying on top through January and again in February with over 5,300 units sold. The Ford Ranger is well known for its workhorse features while maintaining a stylish exterior and is a popular choice amidst Australian consumers.
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Toyota HiLux - 4,403 units sold in February
The Toyota HiLux also had an impressive year in 2023 and secured second place in January and February, with over 4,400 units sold in the latter month. The Hilux is a versatile and powerful Australian favourite, popular with both private and business buyers. Check out all of the quality used HiLux models available at Pickles.
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Tesla Model 3 - 3,593 units sold in February
The fully electric Tesla Model 3 jumped right to the top of the best sellers list in February after several months of hiatus from the list. Clearly having received a large delivery, Tesla Model 3 sales in February saw a huge increase compared YoY and may continue to sell well amidst consumer demand for electric vehicles.
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Isuzu UTE D-MAX - 2,941 units sold in February
D-MAX sales were also up drastically compared YoY, with a 52.3% increase in sales compared to February of 2023. For car buyers looking for the practicality of a work vehicle along with the versatility of a family car, the D-MAX is a popular car choice.
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Toyota RAV4 - 2,843 units sold in February
The RAV4 is one of Australia’s most popular vehicles, with over 2,800 units sold throughout February. Given the RAV4 is always in high demand, keeping up to date with Pickles’ sales is the best way to purchase a quality used model.
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Nissan X-Trail - 2,508 units sold in February
For the first time in recent memory, the Nissan X-Trail has jumped onto the top selling vehicles list in February. With a huge 283.5% increase in sales compared YoY, it is likely that Nissan finally received long awaited deliveries across the country to be driven home by happy buyers.
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Toyota Corolla - 2,495 units sold in February
The compact Toyota Corolla had another consecutive month of good sales results, with just shy of 2,500 units sold during February. The affordable Corolla is known for its serious reliability and cheap maintenance costs, making it a good pick in 2024’s economic conditions.
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MG ZS - 2,357 units sold in February
MG vehicles sales in 2024 are looking promising so far, with over 2,300 units sold in February alone. ZS sales were consistently strong throughout last year, resulting in the model being the eighth most sold vehicle in Australia overall in 2023.
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Mitsubishi Outlander - 2,209 units sold in February
Sales of Mitsubishi Outlander units were solid in February, with over 2,200 units sold. As a staple of the Australian car market, buyers are lucky to have access to a wide variety of used Outlander models featured in Pickles’ sales.
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Tesla Model Y - 2,072 units sold in February
After a hiatus from the top sellers list, the Tesla Model Y jumped into the spotlight with over 2,000 units sold in February. The Tesla Model Y is one of several popular EV makes that have seen an increase in sales as Australians turn towards EV/hybrid vehicle options.
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07 Mar