According to VFACTS sales figures released today Mazda finished 1960 sales ahead of its closest full-line import rival, giving the company a year-to-date market share of 8.1 per cent.

Mazda’s February sales were 16.1 per cent up on the same month last year and its market share for the month climbed from 7.1 per cent in 2006 to 7.6 per cent.

Year-to-date Mazda has sold 12,992 vehicles, a significant jump of 19.6 per cent over the same time last year, giving the company its best yearly sales start.

Once again the Mazda3 was a strong contributor to the company’s passenger car sales. The popular sedan and hatch finished third on the year-to-date sales table amassing 6381 retails year-to-date.

Finishing second in the sub $40,000 small car segment in February, sales of the Mazda3 helped the company achieve its 9.4 per cent share in the passenger car market.

Other strong performers for Mazda included the Mazda2 with 629 (6.5 per cent of the sub $25,000 light car market) and Mazda6 with 1134 (19.3 per cent of the sub $60,0000 medium market).

Sales of Mazda’s CX-7 crossover have been on a steady incline since its launch in November 2006. Last month the sporty and stylish SUV clocked 592 retails augmenting Mazda’s market share in the SUV segment from 2.3 per cent in February 2006 to 5.1 per cent.

Mazda’s commercial utility range posted its best ever February result with 647 retails, lifting its share in the light commercial segment to 4.7 per cent from 4.1 per cent for the same month last year.

Doug Dickson, managing director of Mazda Australia, said: “Our year-to-date sales indicate that Mazda is moving from strength-to-strength as the top import brand for Australian car buyers”.

“Mazda Australia expects to retail in excess of 65,000 vehicles in 2007”.