SUV imports trump the locals

DEMAND for locally built cars plunged last month as private buyers opted for imported SUVs and fleets flocked to light commercials

DEMAND for locally built cars plummeted last month as private buyers opted for imported SUVs and fleets flocked to light commercials.

In a grim month for the industry, GM Holden's Adelaide-built Cruze small car was one of the surprise casualties as the locals lost almost 3500 sales compared with the same month last year. Imports enjoyed strong demand, total July sales of 86,641 vehicles beating a record for the month set in 2007.

The result caps seven consecutive months of growth and leaves sales for the year up 9.9 per cent or an extra 57,000 vehicles. Almost 43,000 of those are SUVs, with two-thirds going to private buyers.

Demand for SUVs followed form last month, with a 23 per cent increase driven by newcomers such as the Mazda CX-5 and a demand backlog for Toyota models, the supply of which is up to full speed after last year's tsunami in Japan.

The same effect pushed the Toyota Hilux workhorse to the top of the sales charts, with 4163 delivered, 49 per cent more than in July last year.

Toyota sales and marketing chief Matthew Callachor said new models, including the 86, the brand's first sports car in years, were also helping to restore the brand.

"In the past five months, we have introduced three models that are totally new (and) revitalised our entire range of locally produced cars," he said.

"These launches, as well as Toyota's quicker-than-expected recovery from last year's natural disasters, have underpinned the growth in sales."

With sales up 29 per cent last month, the Camry was the sole bright spot for local makers.

Deliveries of Toyota's other locally built model, the Aurion, slumped by 31 per cent, but it was much worse for the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore.