Aussies Prefer SUV’s and Utes over Cars
A recent article on Goauto.com.au stated that passenger cars were in the minority last year for the first time in more than a century of Australian automotive retail sales as SUVs and utes drove the market to new heights in 2013.
Their data showed that in 2013 the industry had record sales of 1,136,227 for the 2013 calendar year, beating the previous record of 1,112,032 vehicles set in 2012.
This represents a 2.2 per cent increase over the previous year, and marks the fourth consecutive year of million-plus sales and the sixth time the industry has achieved the landmark since it was first done before the global financial crisis in 2007.
Whilst sales of traditional passenger vehicles remained flat, sales of SUV’s surged 8.5 per cent to a record 333.511 units in 2013. Almost 30 per cent of all vehicles purchased in Australia last year were SUVs, with commercial vehicles accounting for another 20 per cent.
One-tonne utes – driven up almost exclusively by the 4×4 variety popular with weekend warriors – also contributed to the rise, pushing light commercial vehicles sales up 3.5 per cent.
Sedans, wagons, hatchbacks and sportscars – now represent just 49.9 per cent of the new-vehicle market with the sale of light, medium and large cars falling in 2013.
For more date visit http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/3666B314C096C16CCA257C5500144007
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