SUVs preferred as new car sales fall

New car sales in Western Australia dropped again last month, with a rise in SUV sales unable to counteract a slump in passenger vehicle sales.

Just fewer than 8,000 new cars were sold in WA last month, down 5 per cent according to the latest figures by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, while the number of cars sold nationally rose 3.6 per cent compared with the previous corresponding period.

In the year to-date, new car sales have fallen 3.7 per cent in WA with just over 41,000 sales, while nationally over the same period sales have risen 3.8 per cent with about 470,000 new cars sold in Australia.

Toyota, the state’s most popular car maker, sold about 1,700 new cars in WA last month, down 3.1 per cent on last May, while Hyundai sold 873 new vehicles, down 2.6 per cent.

Holden sales dropped 10.9 per cent in May to 586 new sales, while Ford sales gained 11.3 per cent with 619 sales.

Mazda sales were relatively unchanged at 675 sales, as were Mitsubishi sales, with 553 sold last month.

Three Lamborghinis were sold in May, a 50 per cent increase on the previous corresponding period, while Ferrari sales dropped off 33 per cent with two sales.

McLaren sold its first new car in WA for the year, while Porsche sales fell 27 per cent last month with 27 sales.

BMW sales improved 3.4 per cent with 154 new car sales, while Audi sales dropped 23.9 per cent with 102 units sold.

SUVs were the top performers in WA last month with sales up 1.4 per cent, while passenger vehicle sales fell 12.7 per cent and light commercial vehicles fell 3.2 per cent.

In the year to-date, SUV sales have risen 3.8 per cent, while passenger vehicle sales have dropped 10.7 per cent.