Surprising vehicle Aussies are flocking to

Sales of new cars have dropped off a cliff in 2019 as Aussies deal with difficult economic conditions, but there is a cut-price alternative Aussies are loving.

The Australian new car market is struggling.

Sales of cars are down by 8 per cent this year at 811,464, the lowest mark since 2011, and even sales of perennial favourites such as the Toyota HiLux and Mazda3 have hit a wall.

But there is one type of vehicle that is bucking the trend.

Sales of scooters are soaring — the segment has grown by more than 14 per cent so far this year.

Scooter sales are booming in Australia this year.

The mode of transport more commonly associated with European cities has had an awakening in Australia.

Aussies are jumping on this cheap and fuel efficient alternative as they look for relief from increased pressure on household budgets and ever increasing petrol prices. And an increase in food delivery services is sure to have put a rocket under sales.

However, one of the biggest benefits of driving a scooter is avoiding Australia’s ever increasing traffic congestion.

Sales of more expensive motorcycles have dropped significantly this year.

A report by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) showed that motorists in all major cities experienced slow, crawling journeys well below the speed limit during the morning and evening peak commute.

The Australian government’s 2019 Infrastructure Audit showed that the situation is only going to get worse with many popular routes expected to have even longer traffic jams by 2031.

Sales of the most popular Honda model have exploded — by more than 117 per cent — and rival scooters from Suzuki and Yamaha have also swelled, by 32 and 11 per cent respectively.

Even long time favourites such as the Toyota HiLux has seen sales drop this year.

The swing to Japanese makes has come at the expense of Italian brand Vespa. The classic-styled scooters have experienced a sharp decline in sales.

Sales of more expensive motorcycles are down by about 14 per cent this year, again showing that scooters are going against the current.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief Tony Weber says the motorcycle market is experiencing the same headwinds as the regular car market and is down in line with the broader economic environment.