Record set for registrations

“What these record months have in common is clean-car policy change” – Aimee Wiley, MIA’s chief executive

Posted on 04 July, 2023

The Motor Industry Association (MIA) reports 23,560 new-vehicle registrations during June made for biggest month on record.

Chief executive Aimee Wiley says the total was 95.5 per cent higher than the same month of last year and 2,556 units higher than the previous biggest month, which was March 2022 when there were 21,004 registrations.

“What these record months have in common is clean-car policy change,” says Wiley, pictured. “In March 2022, people rushed to register vehicles to avoid the introduction of clean car discount fees. We can see this repeated in June 2023 to avoid increasing fees or reducing rebates from July 1 onwards.”

Of June’s 23,560 registrations, passenger vehicles accounted for 17,299 and commercials 6,261.

Last month’s passenger registrations made for their biggest-ever month – 97.5 per cent higher than the year-to-date monthly average, 80.9 per cent higher than June 2022 and 45.7 per cent – or 5,425 units – higher than the prior record month, which was September 2021 with 11,874 units. On a year-to-date basis, passenger vehicles are up by 8.3 per cent and 4,680 units.

Commercial-vehicle registrations of 6,261 amounted to the second biggest month ever. The total was 76.2 per cent higher than the average monthly registrations year to date – 3,553 units per month – and up 151.9 per cent and 3,775 units when compared to June 2022.

Although a stand-out month for the commercial segment, June 2023 came in well-short – by 3,561 units – of the prior record month of March 2022 when 9,822 units were registered.

“On a total year-to-date basis, despite the June 2023 result commercials remain down 6.5 per cent [1,674 units] due the impact of the clean car discount fees on light commercial vehicles,” notes Wiley.

Market leaders

Toyota retained the overall market lead in June with a market share of 22.7 per cent and 5,343 units, according to the MIA. It was followed by Mitsubishi with 12.3 per cent and 2,903 units, and Kia on 8.2 per cent and 1,927.

There were 2,599 light passenger battery electric vehicles (BEVs) registered last month. That was up 91 per cent on the year-to-date average monthly. In addition, 23 light commercial and 21 heavy commercial BEVs were registered in June.

The top BEV models were the Tesla Model Y on 765 units, BYD’s Atto 3 with 440 units and the MG ZS on 260. BEVs made up 15 per cent of June’s light-passenger segment.

There were 1,318 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) registered in June – up by 148 per cent on the average monthly year to date. The top models were the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross on 498 units, Mitsubishi’s Outlander on 257 and the Kia Niro with 135 units. PHEVs made up 7.6 per cent of June’s light-passenger segment.

Registrations of hybrid vehicles (HEVs) were 4,279 units last month. That was up by 111 per cent on the average monthly total so far in 2023. The top models were the Toyota RAV4 on 983 units. Toyota’s C-HR was second on 261 and Kia’s Niro was third with 246. HEVs made up 24.7 per cent of June’s light-passenger segment.

As for the most popular segments, medium-sized SUVs came top with a 26 per cent share of the market. Next up were compact SUVs with 23 per cent, and the pick-up/chassis 4x4 segment with 15 per cent. The small to medium segments comprised 60 per cent of the total market last month.