Australian automobile gross sales are within the quick lane, with the business recording document figures for the month of April, and the primary 4 months of a 12 months.
Toyota’s RAV4 was the best-selling automobile for April, overtaking the Ford Ranger that appears on observe to retain its place as Australia’s favorite automobile.
It was the all-time month-to-month gross sales consequence for the RAV4.
The consequence comes as Toyota’s new automobile provide chain returns to regular ranges following prolonged delays all through the coronavirus pandemic.
It additionally helps justify a change to extra environment friendly – and costly – hybrid-only engines for the Yaris and Corolla hatchbacks.
Toyota vp for gross sales and advertising and marketing, Sean Hanley, mentioned wait occasions for brand spanking new vehicles have dropped considerably from year-long delays not too long ago endured by clients.
“File deliveries aren’t a aim in themselves,” he mentioned.
“They spotlight the pent-up demand for hybrids and the success being achieved in considerably lowering buyer wait occasions.
“Whereas it will be straightforward to imagine this result’s merely pushed by historic demand, it isn’t the complete image. Buyer orders in April remained excessive, demonstrating a rising variety of Australians are in search of fuel-efficient hybrids which might be sensible, succesful and reasonably priced.
“We stay centered on assembly this demand. Based mostly on our supply plan, common wait occasions for Hybrid Electrical variants of RAV4, Corolla hatch and C-HR will likely be again to regular by the tip of subsequent month – simply three to 4 months, if not even higher.” Mr Hanley mentioned.
Toyota’s improved provide helped gross sales of hybrid powered vehicles enhance from a 7.5 per cent share of the market in 2023 to 18.3 per cent of the market final month.
Ford took second place for the month with 8,648 gross sales, forward of Mazda (7,301), Kia (6,653) and Mitsubishi (5,314).
Greater than 97,000 new vehicles have been delivered final month, placing the market 50,000 autos forward of 2023 for the 12 months to this point.
Tony Weber, chief govt for the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, mentioned the automobile business broke ten document month-to-month gross sales outcomes previously 12 months.
“April’s consequence highlights robust client confidence in buying new autos,
surpassing our expectations and is a testomony to client selection and the business’s
resilience in a difficult financial panorama,” he mentioned.
In the identical method {that a} good month for Toyota turbocharged hybrid gross sales, slower deliveries for Tesla put the brakes on electrical vehicles.
Gross sales of electrical vehicles have been down in April 2024 (6,194) in comparison with the identical month final 12 months (6,530).
The American model’s rollercoaster-like gross sales took a dip in April, when Tesla delivered lower than half as many vehicles because it did in March.
However the model will bounce again in coming weeks, helped by the arrival of its new Tesla Mannequin 3 Efficiency sedan.
