Most popular cars in every suburb by postcode in South Australia
It’s no surprise Holden is still popular right across South Australia, but there are pockets where car owners are buying up other luxury cars. SEE THE LIST
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Exclusive: South Australian car buyers miss Holden more than the rest of the country, vehicle census data shows.
While motorists across the nation claim an affinity with the manufacturer, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show SA is the Holden heartland.
The manufacturer has a larger share here than in Victoria, NSW or Queensland. Australia-wide, Toyotas outnumber Holdens two to one, but in SA the gap is narrower – 213,628 to 167,893.
The suburb breakdown doesn’t include commercial vehicles such as utes and vans. If it did, Toyota would increase its lead as it has 837,023 nationwide, ahead of Ford with 535,794 and Holden with 492,095. In many parts of SA, Holden is No 1 even though sales are down to a trickle.
It’s no surprise to see Holden on top in its former factory region of Elizabeth, where there are almost 2600 of its cars on the road, compared to about 1700 Toyotas and 1500 Fords. Edinburgh locals also remain loyal to the brand.
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Holden has real staying power in regional areas such as Renmark, Whyalla, Mt Gambier and Port Augusta, where there are more of them than any other kind of car on the road.
But Toyota easily outnumbers Holden in inner Adelaide and Glenelg, where drivers might be more likely to own a newer car.
Holden, with its famous Lion logo, closed its factory in 2017. Factory loyalties apply in Tonsley and Clovelly Park, home to the former Mitsubishi plant, where the Japanese brand is well ahead of the likes of Holden, Ford, Hyundai or Mazda, trailing only Toyota for its share of the carpark. Holden’s numbers are strong in working-class suburbs with average taxable incomes of less than $45,000.
It’s no surprise to see high-end cars clustered in wealthy suburbs. Hyde Park, with an average annual income of almost $94,000, is the Porsche capital of SA. The greatest concentration of Ferraris is at Mt Osmond, where the average income is about $80,000. CBD owners are more likely to own a BMW than a Kia, while Mercedes-Benz is No 3 behind Toyota and Mazda in Beaumont and Wattle Park.
Electric cars are growing in popularity, with more than 20 suburbs claiming at least three Tesla owners.
But Toyota is well-placed to remain the top brand for some time, bolstered by the success of its HiLux ute, RAV4 crossover and Corolla small car.
Social commentator David Chalke said Toyota’s domination was no surprise.
“They’re the Arnott’s of the car market in that whatever sort of biscuit you want, Arnott’s has got one. In the case of cars, whatever sort of car you want, Toyota’s got a bloody good one,” he said.