Tasmanian new vehicle sales have started the year weaker.
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There were 1312 sales in January compared to 1418 in January 2018, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries’ latest VFACTS report said.
That was a fall of 7.5 per cent.
All states and territories except the Northern Territory had a weaker start to the year.
Tasmanian sales were weaker for:
- Passenger vehicles, from 418 to 374;
- SUVs, 577 to 542; and
- light commercials, 379 to 350.
Only heavy commercials had a stronger January, with their sales up by two to 46.
Tasmanian market leaders Toyota and Mitsubishi defied the January gloom.
Toyota’s 246 sales for the month were 10 ahead of January 2018.
Mitsubishi improved by 19 to 136.
Mazda sales fell by seven to 111.
Hyundai edged back from 103 to 98 and Ford slumped from 116 to 93.
Subaru dropped from 107 to 91.
Holden sales increased by four to 90.
The overall numbers would have been weaker without increased purchases by government.
They increased from 73 in January 2018 to 126.
Sales to private buyers fell by 27 to 655.
Sales to business crashed from 550 to 469.
Vehicle rental companies were also subdued, with just 16 sales compared to 69 in the previous January.
Of the 1312 January sales, just two involved electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Hybrids accounted for 24 sales.
No Australian-made vehicles were sold.
Thailand (429) and Japan (405) were the main sources of the vehicles which were sold.
South Korea provided 170 and Germany 67.
Tasmania had nine sales of vehicles from Argentina, three from China, four from India, nine from Poland, 14 from South Africa, 12 from Spain, 24 from Mexico and six from Turkey.
The figures do not cover sales of second-hand vehicles.
