WA vehicle sales fall over 3% in Sep
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New motor vehicle sales in Western Australia have bucked the rising national trend, declining over 3 per cent during September.
Sales in the state dropped 3.4 per cent in September to 9454 units from 9783 units sold in August, according to latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Compared to last year's corresponding period, new motor vehicle sales in WA slumped 8.8 per cent, seasonally adjusted, in line with the national fall of 8.2 per cent.
Across the country, sales rose 0.4 per cent, seasonally adjusted to 81,304 units in September, up from 80,966 units in August.
The overall rise in vehicle sales was underpinned by passenger vehicles, which rose by 0.9 per cent, and an 0.4 per cent increase in the "other" vehicles category, which includes vans, trucks and buses.
But sales of sports-utility vehicles declined for the third straight month, falling by 1.1 per cent in September for an annual decline of 15.1 per cent.
CommSec chief equities economist Craig James said sales of petrol hungry four-wheel drives, in trend terms, were dropping at the fastest annual pace on record.
"It will take significantly cheaper prices to entice people back to the more thirsty four-wheel drives," Mr James said.
While consumers had shunned SUVs, they retained their fondness for luxury vehicles despite the current economic downturn, according to CommSec's luxury car index.
The index found sales of luxury cars represented 5.47 per cent of total passenger car sales in September, up from 5.0 per cent a year ago.
"Australians may have fallen out of love with four-wheel drive vehicles, but they still have plenty of affection for luxury cars," Mr James said.
"If luxury cars continue to sell, the confidence is likely to prove infectious, propping up the broader market."
ABS' data follows figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries earlier this month, where vehicle sales in WA during September dropped 5.5 per cent to 9679 units compared to the same period last year.