VFACTS: New Car Sales Insights August 2021

Datium Insights Monthly VFACTS Update

Read our monthly update on VFACTS new car sales results.



New Car Sales August 2021

  • August 2021 saw a total figure of 81,199 new car sales for Australia as reported by VFACTS
  • Figures show new car sales were up 33% in August 2021 versus August 2020
  • NSW & ACT were down 7% & 28% compared to August 2020, likely owing to lockdowns
  • Other states and territories are up this year compared to this time last year, with Victoria leading the charge up 154% versus August 2020

Australian 2020 New Car Sales

Australian 2020 New Car Sales Cumulative YoY Change by State - Units

Australian 2020 New Car Sales Cumulative YoY Change by State - Percentage

New Car Sales Trends

The top 5 models with the greatest increases so far in 2021 are:

  • MG ZS (+10,231 units)
  • Toyota Hilux 4X4 (+8,833 units)
  • Isuzu Ute D-Max 4X4 (+8,439 units)
  • Ford Ranger 4X4 (+7,676 units)
  • Mazda CX-5 (+6,088 units)

The bottom 5 models with the greatest decreases so far in 2021 are:

  • Volkswagen Golf (-6,077 units)
  • Honda Civic (-2,594 units)
  • Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class (-2,522 units)
  • Honda CR-V (-2,104 units)
  • Toyota Kluger (-1,805 units)

The top segment increases so far in 2021 compared to 2020 are:

  • SUV Light (+124%)
  • Micro (+76%)
  • Large > $70K (+54%)
  • Vans/CC 2.5-3.5t (+53%)
  • SUV Upper Large < $100K (+51%)

Conversely, some of the largest decreases are:

  • Light Buses => 20 Seats (-31%)
  • Upper Large < $100K (-31%)
  • Vans/CC <= 2.5t (-29%)
  • Large < $70K (-26%)
  • Small > $40K (-22%)

Some other highlights so far:

  • Toyota continues to dominate sales increases with 5 of the top 20 increases in 2021 being Toyota models
  • Chinese brand MG is making headwinds, with its ZS and MG3 models seeing substantial increase in 2021
  • Passenger vehicles continue to see the slowest recovery in sales in 2021 (+7%), particularly in small (-4%), medium (+1%) and upper large segments (-8%)
  • The rental market has finally seen strong growth, up 20,909 units (+104%) compared to 2020
  • Private sales (+35% YoY) now make up more than 50% of all sales in the market due to dealers gaining higher margins on these types of sales

Australian 2020 New Car Sales Cumulative YoY Change by Segment

Australian 2020 New Car Sales Cumulative YoY Change by Vehicle - Top 20 Increases

Australian 2020 New Car Sales Cumulative YoY Change by Vehicle - Top 20 Decreases


Sales by Import Country

  • Sales of imported vehicles from Japan continue to rebound significantly in 2021, seeing an increase of 63,535 units compared to 2020
  • Sales of imported vehicles from China continue to skyrocket in 2021 with an increase of 33,269 compared to 2020
  • Sales of imported vehicles from Germany and USA saw the largest declines so far, with Germany down 9,583 units and USA down 1,833. These countries have been hit by production issues due to COVID outbreaks.



Datium Insights Monthly Truck and Equipment Update

Datium Insights Monthly Car Supply Update

Tanim LinkedIn
Tanim Ahmed

By Tanim Ahmed, Head of Product at Datium Insights

Tanim is a Macquarie University alumni with degrees in Finance and Economics. He has spent a decade in the Leasing and Finance industry, specializing in Residual Value risk.

Please contact Datium Insights for further analytical support and advisory services.

Disclaimer: This is a general information service only and we do not provide advice or take into account your personal circumstances, financial situation or needs. Please seek professional advice with regards to how any of the material on this website can impact your own financial situation. Datium Insights is not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by use of this website.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Datium Insights

Subscribe to Datium Insights

Receive notifications when we release market updates and feature articles on the automotive industry