Has Coronavirus affected car sales?

Monthly Aus Car Sales 2018-2020 v1 Coronavirus

Has the Coronavirus had an impact on car sales

Car sales have been declining for several years but now they are in free fall.

In March 2020 sales fell by nearly 18% compared to 2019.

Toyota and Subaru did manage to hold their numbers while Kia continued to increase and for the first time in Australia, Kia outsold its corporate cousin Hyundai. Coronavirus

Price could be coming an even bigger issue with MG, Haval and Great Wall all showing large percentage increases.  For the month MG was the 16th best selling brand outselling: Audi, Lexus Land Rover, Volvo. Coronavirus

Anecdotal information suggests that the sales in March were progressively worse as the month progressed and April, which is usually a slow month for sales, has started disastrously.

It would be easy to blame the recent lockdown and associated economic impact for the declining car sales. However car sales have been declining for several years, but now they are in free fall. In March 2020 sales fell by nearly 18% compared to 2019. 

I have dusted off my old Economics degree, done some modelling analysis and have come up with the prediction that by the end of June 2020, the new car sales will be close to 50% down on last year YTD.

April, May and June have the potential to be disastrous for car sales. Some brands could be close to 70% down in sales month to month from last year.

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About David Brown 607 Articles
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning. What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive. His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney. David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto