Mazda 3 the top selling car in January
The small car segment continues to make inroads into traditional large car territory as the Japanese built Mazda 3 knocks the Holden Commodore off the top spot for sales in the moth of January.
This not only reflects a general shift towards smaller and more fuel efficient cars but also demonstrates how when fleet buyers are taken out of the market (many businesses close for a time over the Xmas period), overall sales figures can move around quite significantly.
Whilst this was good news for Mazda (in fact this is the first time that a wholly imported brand (Mazda) has taken the top spot from manufacturers that still build in Australia) the overall market suffered a 18% drop in sales compared to January 2008.
So it’s tough times ahead for the Australia auto industry – especially the local manufacturers. January was also significant as it was the first time Mazda sold more units than Ford.
Let’s hope buyers can see through the doom & gloom, recognise some of the fantastic value available in Australia & give themselves a treat – especially if it’s made locally!
Level 2, 9 Help Street