Passenger vehicle sales continue to climb

Sales for used imported passenger vehicles jumped 15.4 per cent in May, with 1932 more units sold than in April, up 14.9 per cent year-on-year. Nine of the 10 highest-selling makes saw double-digit sales growth, with the exception of Volkswagen, down 12.7 per cent. Toyota has extended its market share at the top of the table to 25 per cent, with sales up 16.1 per cent compared to May 2016 to 3,604 units. In second place, Nissan sales increased 13.2 per cent to 2,750 units, a 19 per cent market share, followed by Mazda, up 13.6 per cent for a 14.9 per cent market share. The top-selling model was once again the Nissan Tiida. The hatchback held steady with 652 sales in May 2017, a 3.3 per cent year-on-year increase for a 4.5 per cent market share. Close behind was the Mazda Axela, with sales up 5.8 per cent to 625 units, a 4.3 per cent market share. The Suzuki Swift came in third, with a 16.6 per cent annual jump in sales to 597 units. The popularity of used hybrids and EVs continues to rise. Sales for the Toyota Prius were up 90.3 per cent to 352 units, and ranked seventh on the list of top-selling passenger models. The Nissan Leaf also saw a boom in sales, up 181.3 per cent to 135 units.