MILDURA’S vehicle market has bounced back from a COVID-19 dip to record strong sales growth last month.
Nationally, there was a 12.4 per cent rise in car sales in November, the first monthly increase for more than two-and-a-half years.
In Mildura, the rebound is even stronger.
“We definitely saw a good rise for sales in November,” Mildura Motor Holdings dealer principal Paul Shelly said on Friday.
“It’d at least be every bit of the national average and probably a little bit better.
“Clearly the market has bounced back very strongly in November.
“We’ve been seeing good sales growth in the small SUVs. We’re getting people come in to update their 10-year-old car, whereas before COVID, they were mainly hanging on to them.”
Mildura Toyota dealer principal Chris Szigeti also reported a recent spike in sales as the LandCruiser 200 proves a popular choice for new car buyers.
“Sales have gone through the roof for the LandCruiser 200,” Mr Szigeti said. “In fact, it’s heading towards run-out.
“We’ve had a really strong November and I expect December to be just as strong.”
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said 95,205 new cars and trucks were sold across the nation in November, an increase of 10,497 on the same month last year.
The November result was vastly improved compared to the 48.5 per cent slump in April and the 35 per cent fall in May, as Australia endured the first wave of coronavirus cases.
Mr Shelly said the Mildura car market had “stayed reasonably strong this year, despite all the COVID challenges”.
“There was a downturn around April and May, but I wouldn’t think the Mildura area has been as hard-hit as what the average national downturns show,” he said.
“With our business and so many brands represented, there’s been a shortage of new car stock.
“But we’re actually starting to see the trucks pulling back in now, so we’ll have some the fresh stock going into 2021.”
Toyota was the top-selling marque in November, retailing 23,204 vehicles, ahead of Mazda (9053) and Hyundai (6903).
Nearing its departure from the Australian market, Holden sold just 203 vehicles last month.
Toyota also had the most popular car, selling 5038 across its HiLux range, ahead of the Ford Ranger on 4260 and the Toyota RAV4 on 3800.
