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New-car sales recorded their second consecutive month of year-on-year decline, as chronic stock shortages continue – and hit some brands worse than others.
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New-car sales in Australia continued their downwards slide in May 2022, recording the second month in a row of decline compared to the same months last year.
VFACTS new-car sales data published today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows 94,383 new motor vehicles were reported as sold, down 6.4 per cent compared to the same month last year.
The May 2022 new-car sales tally is 2.9 per cent down compared to the five-year average for the same month prior to COVID-19 – 97,200 vehicles – and down 8.3 per cent on the all-time May record set in 2017 (102,901).
Once again, stock shortages continue to slow deliveries of new cars, as overwhelming demand is met by chronic stock shortages caused by factory slowdowns and a lack of parts.
While most major automotive brands are grappling with production interruptions, the market is up marginally compared to where it was before the pandemic, with 437,884 vehicles reported as sold so far this year – up 0.2 per cent on 2019 figures.
If past years are a guide, the new-car market is on track to selling more than one million vehicles in 2022 – though it’s unlikely to break the all-time sales record of 1,189,116 vehicles set in 2017.
More than one million new motor vehicles have been reported as sold annually for 11 of the past 12 years, the exception being 2020’s COVID-affected figure of 916,368.
Tony Weber of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said in a media statement: “The global automotive industry continues to be plagued by a shortage of microprocessor units and shipping delays. This issue is not unique to Australia.
“Car makers continue to report high demand across dealer showrooms and online marketplaces. Pandemic interruptions continue to impact manufacturing and conflict in Ukraine has disrupted vehicle component supply.
“Monthly sales figures are also dependent on shipping arrivals which continue to be uncertain. We do not expect supply chains to stabilise until these issues are resolved.”
Japanese car giant Toyota continued to lead the market, with 22,813 vehicles reported as sold last month – its best May on record – equating to almost one-in-four new vehicles reported as sold last month (24.2 per cent market share).
The Japanese company has maintained more than 20 per cent market share – or at least one in five cars sold – for 21 of the past 24 months.
In a major upset, South Korean brands Kia and Hyundai have snatched second and third place on the sales charts respectively, with 7367 and 7063 sales – up 2.6 and 9.5 per cent respectively compared to May 2021.
It was the first time Kia Australia had ranked second outright on the monthly sales charts in Australia.
Mazda sales hit the brakes in May, slipping from second to fourth position with 6474 vehicles reported as sold – down 38.7 per cent compared to the 10,554 in May 2021.
The top four automotive brands were followed by Mitsubishi with 6086 reported sales, Ford with 5233, and MG with 4064 – matching its previous best finish of seventh place.
German car giant Volkswagen dropped out of the top 10 for the fourth time this year amid chronic stock shortages – and was narrowly overtaken by small-car specialist Suzuki, with Chinese company GWM Haval close behind.
The Toyota HiLux remains Australia’s top-selling new vehicle, ahead of the Toyota RAV4 family SUV, pushing the Ford Ranger to third place, as the Thailand factory changes over to production of the new model due next month.
The fourth-placed Toyota Corolla small car is one of two passenger cars inside the Top 10, along with the Hyundai i30.
Electric vehicle sales are up 112 per cent compared to the same month last year – albeit from a low base, accounting for 1.0 per cent of sales in May 2022, compared to 0.4 per cent last May.
Last year’s electric car sales leader Tesla posted another month of low double-digit sales, reporting just 12 Model 3 sedans as sold in May – though deliveries were recently placed on hold until the second half of this year, amid lockdowns in China.
| Rank | Model | Volume May 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota HiLux | 5178 | up 17.6 per cent |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 | 3925 | down 2.2 per cent |
| 3 | Ford Ranger | 3751 | down 11.8 per cent |
| 4 | Toyota Corolla | 3310 | up 51.1 per cent |
| 5 | Isuzu D-Max | 2433 | down 20.4 per cent |
| 6 | Toyota Prado | 2195 | up 0.9 per cent |
| 7 | Mitsubishi Triton | 2054 | down 11.4 per cent |
| 8 | Hyundai i30 | 2027 | down 4.2 per cent |
| 9 | Mazda CX-5 | 1947 | down 29.7 per cent |
| 10 | Mitsubishi Outlander | 1799 | up 134.9 per cent |
TOP 10 CAR BRANDS IN May 2022
| Rank | Brand | Volume May 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota | 22,813 | up 7.8 per cent |
| 2 | Kia | 7307 | up 2.6 per cent |
| 3 | Hyundai | 7063 | up 9.5 per cent |
| 4 | Mazda | 6474 | down 38.7 per cent |
| 5 | Mitsubishi | 6086 | down 6.1 per cent |
| 6 | Ford | 5233 | down 19.4 per cent |
| 7 | MG | 4064 | up 15.9 per cent |
| 8 | Subaru | 3626 | up 2.2 per cent |
| 9 | Isuzu Ute | 3494 | up 11.5 per cent |
| 10 | Nissan | 2970 | down 31 per cent |
Passenger cars: Top Three in each segment in May 2022
| Micro | Kia Picanto (256) | Fiat/Abarth 500 (38) | Mitsubishi Mirage (20) |
| Light < $25k | MG 3 (1250) | Suzuki Baleno (939) | Suzuki Swift (445) |
| Light > $25k | Mini Hatch (205) | Audi A1 (37) | Citroen C3 (8) |
| Small < $40k | Toyota Corolla (3310) | Hyundai i30 (2027) | Kia Cerato (1237) |
| Small > $40k | Mercedes–Benz A-Class (174) | BMW 1 Series (112) | BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (107) |
| Medium < $60k | Toyota Camry (568) | Skoda Octavia (111) | Mazda 6 (49) |
| Medium > $60k | Mercedes-Benz C-Class (389) | BMW 3 Series (261) | Polestar 2 (153) |
| Large < $70k | Kia Stinger (428) | Skoda Superb (79) | |
| Large > $70k | BMW 5 Series (47) | Porsche Taycan (42) | Audi A6 (29) |
| Upper Large < $100k | Chrysler 300 (14) | ||
| Upper Large > $100k | Mercedes-Benz S-Class (11) | Mercedes-Benz EQS (6) | BMW 7 Series (5) |
| People Movers | Kia Carnival (794) | Hyundai Staria (85) | Mercedes-Benz V-Class (50) |
| Sports < $80k | Subaru BRZ (84) | Ford Mustang (52) | Mini Convertible (33) |
| Sports > $80k | BMW 4 Series coupe/convertible (123) | Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe/convertible (35) | Chevrolet Corvette (25) |
| Sports > $200k | Porsche 911 (52) | Ferrari range (14) | Aston Martin coupe/convertible (10) |
SUVs: Top Three in each segment in May 2022
| Light SUV | Kia Stonic (1117) | Hyundai Venue (582) | Toyota Yaris Cross (576) |
| Small SUV < $40k | MG ZS (1758) | Hyundai Kona (1313) | Mazda CX-30 (1175) |
| Small SUV > $40k | Volvo XC40 (613) | BMW X1 (396) | Mercedes-Benz GLA (343) |
| Medium SUV < $60k | Toyota RAV4 (3925) | Mazda CX-5 (1947) | Mitsubishi Outlander (1799) |
| Medium SUV > $60k | Mercedes-Benz GLC (486) | BMW X3 (471) | Audi Q5 (376) |
| Large SUV < $70k | Toyota Prado (2195) | Toyota Kluger (1497) | Subaru Outback (1215) |
| Large SUV > $70k | BMW X5 (387) | Mercedes-Benz GLE (279) | Lexus RX (214) |
| Upper Large SUV < $100k | Toyota LandCruiser wagon (1363) | Nissan Patrol wagon (857) | |
| Upper Large SUV > $100k | BMW X7 (109) | Mercedes-Benz G-Class (103) | Lexus LX (70) |
Utes and vans: Top Three in each segment in May 2022
| Vans < 2.5t | Volkswagen Caddy (60) | Renault Kangoo (47) | Peugeot Partner (39) |
| Vans 2.5t-3.5t | Toyota HiAce van (1072) | Hyundai Staria Load (349) | LDV G10/G10+ (171) |
| 4×2 Utes | Toyota HiLux (1179) | Isuzu D-Max (494) | Ford Ranger (299) |
| 4×4 Utes | Toyota HiLux (3999) | Ford Ranger (3452) | Isuzu D-Max (1939) |
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines as a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
Read more about Alex Misoyannis 
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