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Toyota continues to dominate the Australian automotive industry, topping the new
vehicle sales charts for the first quarter of 2004.
The company sold 18,553 new Toyotas in March, 2,050 more than Holden and
6,753 more than Ford.
Year-to-date, Toyota has a lead of 4,906 vehicles over second placed Holden.
The March result represented an eight per cent increase for Toyota on the
same month last year, while Toyota sales for the first quarter of 2004 were up
12.3 per cent on last year’s record result.
The growth was fuelled by strong demand for the company’s light cars and
workhorse pick-ups.
Corolla continued to dominate its segment, with sales for March up 9.5 per
cent to 3,544 units over the previous March, while Echo also won its class with
1,684 sales. Corolla sales were up 11.1 per cent in the first quarter of the
year, with Echo sales up 20.2 per cent.
All three workhorse pick-ups had strong months, with sales of LandCruiser 78
Series up 43 per cent to 698 units, HiLux 4X4 up 9.7 per cent to 1,292 and HiLux
4X2 up 12.2 per cent to 1,333.
Year-to-date, LC78 sales are up 16.2 per cent, while HiLux 4X2 sales are up
10.9 per cent and HiLux 4X4 sales are up 4 per cent.
Avalon and Kluger also sold strongly last month, with Avalon sales jumping
71.4 per cent on March 2003 and Kluger posting 741 sales, its best month since
launch last year.
In the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) market, Toyota vehicles topped the three
market segments they compete in. In the small SUV market, RAV4 sales were up
31.4 per cent to 1371, while in the medium segment Prado and Kluger made it a
one-two for Toyota.
LandCruiser Wagon topped the Large SUV segment with 1,330 sales.
Prado sales were up 56.1 per cent in the first quarter, while RAV 4 sales
were up 11 per cent.
Meanwhile, Toyota’s hybrid Prius continues to show strong growth. Last month
Toyota sold 76 Priuses, 11 more than were sold in the entire first quarter of
2003. Year-to-date, 231 motorists have taken the green option, an increase of
255 per cent on the same period last year.
Toyota Australia’s divisional general manager marketing Scott Grant, said the
company was delighted with the brand’s ability to maintain its appeal to the
Australian public.
"Last year was a record-breaking one for the company, so to grow our sales by
12.3 per cent in the first quarter of this year is quite an achievement.
"We are particularly pleased with the performance of the Prius. We are seeing
growing acceptance of the hybrid concept in this country and that’s good news
for the environment."
He was also impressed by the performance of the Kluger.
"The Kluger had an outstanding month in March. But the really good news is
that we are attracting new buyers with this vehicle. Prado sales are still very
strong, so it’s incremental business for us," he said.
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