Sales slow in February

After a strong start to truck sales in January, last month saw registrations slow in most commercial market segments

Sales of new trucks and commercials slowed in February, with the 2276 vehicles registered for the month representing a drop of 9.75% compared to the same month last year. However, the strong sales recorded in January were still sufficient to nudge the year-to-date figure into positive territory, the 4196 units equating to growth of 2.2%.

Overall

In the overall figures, it was traditional-market-leader Isuzu leading the tally with 1089 sales year to date, the figure up 7.9%.

Next up was Hino, with 546 sales (up 6.0%), followed by Fuso with 466 sales (up 8.9%), Kenworth with 185 sales (down 23.9%) and Volvo with 171 sales (down 6.0%).

Heavy-duty

February's heavy-duty sales of 658 units were down 1.9% on February 2016, but overall the segment is up 2.5% year to date.

Kenworth continues to lead the heavy-duty market but arch rival Volvo is narrowing the gap. Kenworth's 185 sales were 23.9% down on this time last year, while Volvo had recorded 169 sales (down 7.1%).

That left Isuzu to round out the podium (125 units, down 3.1%), followed by a strong-performing Mack (112 units, up 28.7%) and a hard-charging Scania (87 units, up 180.6%).

Medium-duty

The medium-duty segment also had a tough time of it in February, its 465 units down 5.5% on February last year. Overall 825 medium-duty trucks were sold to the end of February, which is a drop of 2.0% on this time last year.

Leading the charge is Isuzu, its 362 units sold year to date up 2.0%. A distant second, Hino's 259 year-to-date sales were up 7.5%, while Fuso registered 118 sales (down 9.2%), UD Trucks registered 58 trucks (down 9.4%) and Iveco registered 13 trucks (down 27.8%).

Light-duty

Even the light-duty market's long run of strong sales faltered in February, its 808 units registered for the month equating with modest growth of just 1.1% over the same period last year. However, year to date we've seen 1411 light-duty trucks registered, which equates with growth 11.2%.

Isuzu is way out in front with 602 sales year to date, up an impressive 14.7% over the corresponding period last year, while Fuso lies in second with 301 sales (up 21.4%). The leaves Hino in third with 244 sales (up 0.8%), followed by Mercedes-Benz (89 units, up 107.0%) and Fiat (72 units, up 26.3%).

Light-duty van

After powering on for several years, the light-duty van market appears to have cooled. Some 345 units were registered in February, the figure down 38.4% on February last year, while year-to-date a total of 823 units have been registered – a drop of 7.1%.

Renault is the shining light in this sector now, its 346 units sold year to date equating with growth of 13.4%. Second is Mercedes-Benz, its 237 units representing a drop of 18.3%, followed by Ford (89 units, down 4.3%), Fiat and Volkswagen (56 units apiece – a drop of 23.3% for Fiat and a drop of 37.1% for VW), and Iveco (39 units, growth of 8.3%).

Conclusion

President of TIC, Phil Taylor, said sales for the first two months of the year were in stark contrast with one another.

"Boom and bust would be a good way to describe the first two months of 2017 for new truck sales in Australia," he said.

"After a great start to the year in January, sales certainly took a hit this month. Of course fluctuating sales in the first couple of months of a new year are not unusual and we should see sales steady by the end of the first quarter."

Tony McMullan, CEO of TIC, echoed Mr Taylor's sentiments.

"The first two months of 2017 have seen somewhat polar new truck and van sales," he said.

"After January's results were known, I cautioned about getting ahead of ourselves. The combination of January and February sales shows a normalisation of the market in 2017, which is now tracking slightly ahead of 2016.

"Due to the volatility seen in the first two months of this year we will have to wait another month, or two, before we can truly gain a sense of where the Australian heavy commercial vehicle market may track in 2017."

Click here to see January's truck sales in greater detail, and here to see a summary of sales for 2016.

Sales slow in February

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