VFACTS: December 2022 Annual Summary
Despite post-pandemic supply chain challenges and delivery delays, the figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show that 1,081,429 new vehicles were reported as sold, an increase of 3 per cent compared to 2021, but 9 per cent less than the record of 1,189,116 set in 2017. It was the 14th time in the past 16 years that more than 1 million new cars were sold in a calendar year.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive, Tony Weber said,
“While 2022 has been a year of resilience and recovery, 2023 is shaping up as one of the most significant in recent history, particularly in terms of the development of policies that set the direction for the future decarbonisation of the light vehicle fleet.
“As the peak representative body for vehicle distributors, FCAI has advocated for a fuel efficiency standard for many years. We are optimistic that the Federal Government will take action in 2023 and introduce a standard that achieves the policy outcomes that lead to emission reductions while enabling Australians to drive the vehicles that they need and want.
“The FCAI and its members will do all it can to promote the development of sound policy, based on solid data and in the context of the unique nature of the Australian market.”
Most reportedly sold new cars in 2022 were ordered months or even years prior to delivery, as the global industry struggled with unprecedented demand. Car dealers continued to take more orders than they have vehicles to deliver, but there has been continuing acceptance around waiting times for new cars.
Sales by Brands
Japanese car maker Toyota took top place for the 20th year in a row, with 231,050 new cars sold. It is the only manufacturer to have sold more than 200,000 cars in a calendar year, posting its third greatest result after its strongest records of 238,983 (2008) and 236,647 (2007). Mazda came in second with 95,718 vehicles sold, Kia third with 78,330 sold, Mitsubishi in fourth, 76,991, and Hyundai in fifth place, 73,345, as they grappled with severe stock shortages. Historically Hyundai has always arched over its South Korean sibling, Kia.
Toyota Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley said,
“We are extremely grateful – and humbled – to report that our order bank remains very strong due to the trust placed in our brand and our vehicle line-up by so many Australian companies and individuals.
“While it remains difficult to make predictions in this evolving supply situation, we can assure you that we will be working harder than ever to deliver more than 200,000 vehicles to our customers yet again in 2023.
Tesla was ahead in the electric-car sales race, with a record 19,594 vehicles delivered in Australia in 2022, accounting for two out of every three electric cars sold in Australia in 2022. Despite the increasing favour to electric cars, they still only represented 3.1 per cent of the total new-car market in Australia last year, with 33,410 of 1,081,429 sales. Across all brands, a total of 81,786 hybrid vehicles (excluding plug-in hybrids) were reported as sold in 2022, 7.6 per cent per cent of all new-car sales, making it by far the most popular choice of vehicle emissions reduction technology.
Sales by Models and Categories
No surprise, the Toyota HiLux was the top selling vehicle in Australia for seven years in a row, with a total of 64,391 sold in 2022. In second place, the Ford Ranger sold 47,479, followed by the Toyota RAV4 34,845, Mazda CX-5 27,062 and the Mitsubishi Triton in fifth place with 27,436 sold.
The Toyota RAV4 was both the best-selling SUV and hybrid vehicle in Australia in 2022, as out of the 34,845 Toyota RAV4s, 26,547 (76 per cent) were hybrid variants reported as sold last year. Sales of hatchbacks and small sedans have declined as SUV sales boomed, the Toyota Corolla achieved its 10th annual win in a row as Australia’s top-selling passenger car last year.
Top 10 Car Brands Full-Year 2022
| Rank | Brand | Sales in full-year 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota | 231,050 | up 3.3 per cent |
| 2 | Mazda | 95,718 | down 5.3 per cent |
| 3 | Kia | 78,330 | up 15.3 per cent |
| 4 | Mitsubishi | 76,991 | up 13.7 per cent |
| 5 | Hyundai | 73,345 | up 0.6 per cent |
| 6 | Ford | 66,628 | down 6.7 per cent |
| 7 | MG | 49,582 | up 27.1 per cent |
| 8 | Subaru | 36,036 | down 2.6 per cent |
| 9 | Isuzu Ute | 35,323 | down 1.2 per cent |
| 10 | Volkswagen | 30,946 | down 24.1 per cent |
Top 10 Cars Full-Year 2022
| Rank | Model | Sales in full-year 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota HiLux | 64,391 | up 22 per cent |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 47,479 | up 11.8 per cent |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 | 34,845 | down 2.5 per cent |
| 4 | Mazda CX-5 | 27,062 | up 8.4 per cent |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton | 27,436 | up 42.7 per cent |
| 6 | Toyota Corolla | 25,284 | down 12.1 per cent |
| 7 | Isuzu D-Max | 24,336 | down 3.1 per cent |
| 8 | MG ZS | 22,466 | up 21.9 per cent |
| 9 | Hyundai i30 | 21,166 | down 17.2 per cent |
| 10 | Toyota Prado | 21,102 | down 0.9 per cent |
Top 10 Car Brands December 2022
| Rank | Brand | Sales in December 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota | 16,274 | up 0.2 per cent |
| 2 | Mazda | 8500 | up 20.1 per cent |
| 3 | Ford | 6165 | up 13.5 per cent |
| 4 | Kia | 5630 | up 15.4 per cent |
| 5 | MG | 5194 | up 58.9 per cent |
| 6 | Mitsubishi | 4927 | down 12.9 per cent |
| 7 | Hyundai | 4434 | down 22.7 per cent |
| 8 | Subaru | 4071 | up 45.2 per cent |
| 9 | GWM Haval | 3295 | up 116.8 per cent |
| 10 | Volkswagen | 3059 | up 25.1 per cent |
Top 10 Cars December 2022
| Rank | Model | Sales in December 2022 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Ford Ranger | 4663 | up 12 per cent |
| 2 | Toyota HiLux | 4271 | up 11.8 per cent |
| 3 | MG ZS | 3056 | up 54.3 per cent |
| 4 | Toyota RAV4 | 2193 | down 26.9 per cent |
| 5 | Mazda CX-3 | 2068 | up 191.7 per cent |
| 6 | Mitsubishi Outlander | 2052 | up 52.9 per cent |
| 7 | Toyota Corolla | 1843 | up 45 per cent |
| 8 | Tesla Model 3 | 1806 | Data not available |
| 9 | Hyundai Tucson | 1643 | up 57.2 per cent |
| 10 | Mazda CX-5 | 1637 | down 23.8 per cent |
Feature image source: carsales.com.au