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Used-car imports jump 82.3%

The number of second-hand vehicles being shipped into the country increases for the third consecutive month but new vehicle imports suffer a fall.
Posted on 04 August, 2020
Used-car imports jump 82.3%

There were 9,221 used passenger vehicles imported in July, a drop of 31.1 per cent when compared to the same month a year ago. 

However, the total was an increase of 82.3 per cent from the 5,058 shipped into the country during June this year.

Of July’s total, 8,453 came from Japan, which represented 91.7 per cent of last month’s imported units and was lower than its market share of 93 per cent for the year to date.

Japan’s tally in July was down by 23.7 per cent when compared to the same month of 2019.

There were 415 used cars imported from Australia during last month, which was down by 21.3 per cent on July last year. It accounted for 4.5 per cent of last month’s overall total, slightly above its market share of four per cent for the first seven months of 2020. 

After a notable jump in June for imports from “other countries” – nations from where importations are considered of insignificant quantities to list individually – that category increased its monthly total again in July. There were 109 units from other countries last month, compared to 91 in June and just five in May.

Despite the substantial increase from June, used passenger vehicle imports in July remain below the 13,145 vehicles that crossed our border in March this year.

The year-to-date total for imported second-hand passenger vehicles now stands at 59,526 units – down by 31.1 per cent compared to the 86,385 during the first seven months of 2019.

Last month, imports of new passenger vehicles fell by 6.3 per cent to 4,327 units compared to 4,619 in May. The drop coupled with the Motor Industry Association reporting an increase in new vehicle sales during July looks set to make a significant dent in new car stock levels.

The number of used light-commercial imports enjoyed a 57.3 per cent increase from 178 in June to 280 in July, while new light commercials dropped by 46.1 per cent from 1,299 to 700 – the lowest monthly figure for that category this year.

Overall, 14,729 vehicles, including trucks and buses, were imported in July. This was the fourth highest monthly tally for 2020 and represented a 28.4 per cent increase from June’s total of 11,472.