VFACTS: Toyota hits almost 25 per cent market share in August

Nearly one in four new-car buyers purchased a Toyota last month in Australia, as the Japanese brand achieved an August record for market share.

Toyota sales of nearly 20,000 units accounted for 24.6 per cent of new-vehicle registrations, according to the latest official industry figures.

This is Toyota’s biggest chunk in a relatively normal month since the 24.8 per cent it achieved in December 2008.

While the company recorded a 26.5 per cent share in April 2020, industry sales were devastated that month by the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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2021 Toyota HiLux

Toyota’s 24.6 per cent portion for August 2021 was a significant increase over its 20.4 per cent for the same month last year.

It surpasses the marque's previous best August of 23.7 per cent in 2007, as well as the 21.9 per cent achieved in both February and April this year.

Mazda sold 7645 vehicles last month in comparison to Toyota’s 19,959 sales. Toyota outsold Kia (5065 units), Ford (5058) and Hyundai (5016) almost four-fold.

Four Toyota models occupied the top five places in the best-selling vehicles list for August. The HiLux ute was the most popular vehicle overall, and it was joined by the Corolla small car, RAV4 mid-sized SUV and Prado 4WD.

The Prado has been one of Toyota’s surprise performers in 2021, alongside the LandCruiser wagon, as Australians turn to family off-roaders in lieu of the ability to travel overseas.

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2022 Toyota LandCruiser 300

Toyota Australia can’t get enough RAV4s to satisfy demand, and the model is currently the country’s most popular SUV.

The carmaker’s year-to-date share has increased to 21.4 per cent, which is down slightly on the 21.8 per cent held at the same time last year. That figure rose to 22.3 per cent by the end of the year.

After Toyota became the first brand to sell more than 200,000 vehicles annually here in 2004, the company targeted 25 per cent.

It came closest in 2008 with 23.6 per cent, before its market share slipped below 20 per cent from 2011.

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2022 Toyota LandCruiser Prado

Current Toyota Australia boss Sean Hanley told Wheels at the mid-year launch of the Kluger SUV that the company was no longer focused on securing a quarter and was instead comfortable being above the 20 per cent mark.

“We had an ambition to get over 20 per cent by 2020,” says Hanley. “It was an ambitious target a few years ago, though we were actually above 20 per cent market share pre-COVID.

“We're still going through COVID, of course, but we've seen [it] go up exponentially. But there’s lots of influences around that [number], so we have to be careful benchmarking last year's [portion] against this year's.

“For example, because of [production] schedule changes [owing to the pandemic], the market's quite difficult to forecast.

“We think we can stay above 20 per cent but also do it while providing a great customer experience. We're incredibly proud of our results, but we don't take them for granted.”

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2021 Toyota Camry

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA MARKET SHARE: 1999 to 2021*

2021 (*YTD August) 21.4%

2020 22.3%

2019 19.4%

2018 18.8%

2017 18.2%

2016 17.8%

2015 17.8%

2014 18.3%

2013 18.9%

2012 19.6%

2011 18.0%

2010 20.7%

2009 21.4%

2008 23.6% (Highest market share to date)

2007 22.5%

2006 22.2%

2005 20.5%

2004 21.1%

2003 20.5%

2002 19.2%

2001 18.3%

2000 20.2%

1999 19.5%