Corolla Marches to Top of the Charts
Apr 3, 2014 By Toyota Australia.
Toyota's newly released Corolla sedan has powered the popular small car to national best-seller status in March, according to figures released today.
In the first full month of local sales for the new sedan, Corolla topped the sales charts with 4,086 deliveries - its best March on record and almost 500 more than any other vehicle.
The new sedan, released to the market during February, exceeded expectations by contributing well over one-third of the Corolla total in March.
Combined tallies for the Corolla hatch and the new sedan were 22.6 per cent higher than in February and 16.3 per cent ahead of March last year.
Corolla's success - together with an all-time record for RAV4 of 1,888 sales - ensured Toyota posted its best month of sales this year (18,275 vehicles) and its strongest first-quarter result since 2010 (48,121).
Toyota's total for the three months to the end of March was more than 20,000 ahead of its nearest rival - a margin that equates to at least 226 sales per day.
HiLux was again a strong contributor with 3,105 sales in March, making it Australia's best-selling four-wheel-drive vehicle and light-commercial vehicle.
Other Toyota vehicles to lead their segments last month were the built-in-Australia Camry sedan (2,085 sales), 86 sports coupe (397), LandCruiser Prado SUV (1,719), LandCruiser wagon (812) and the recently upgraded HiAce van (641) and HiAce bus (265).
Toyota Australia's executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the company and its dealers had worked hard to lift market share this year to 18 per cent and push for a 12th consecutive year of market leadership.
"With the arrival of the new-generation Kluger just a few weeks ago, Toyota now has the most up-to-date family in the burgeoning SUV market," Mr Cramb said.
"RAV4 has set monthly sales records for 10 of the past 13 months since the new range arrived with the option - for the first time - of a diesel engine," he said.
"Its sales records include the past three months in a row, including the all-time record result in March which has lifted RAV4's tally this year by more than 50 per cent compared with the same period last year.
"LandCruiser Prado is also strong with a sales increase of 10.7 per cent so far this year on the back of recent upgrades to its styling, handling and ride comfort."
Mr Cramb said locally built Camry as well as HiAce van, 4x2 HiLux and Tarago had achieved double-digit percentage increases in sales this year.
He said last month was only the second time Corolla had posted more than 4,000 sales in a March, resulting in solid growth this year of 7.3 per cent.