Holden sales have plunged by a third as motorists shunned the brand that was once synonymous with Australia.
Its decision to stop making the Commodore in Australia in 2017 clearly cost it sales last year.
The German-built replacement, also badged as a Holden Commodore, tanked with just 5,915 sold in 2019 – an annual plunge of 34.6 per cent, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data revealed.
Holden sales have plunged by a third as motorists turned their backs on the brand that was once synonymous with Australia. The German-built Commodore (pictured) suffered a 34.6 per cent sales dive in 2019, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data showed
Overall Holden sales last year plummeted by 28.9 per cent to 43,176, with the General Motors subsidiary barely scraping into the top ten for market share.
By comparison sales of Australia’s most popular car for 2019, the Toyota HiLux ute, added up to 47,649 – more than Holden managed selling seven different imported car models.
Less than a decade ago, the Holden Commodore was Australia’s top-selling car – holding the No.1 position uninterrupted every year from 1996 to 2010 with a V8 in the range.
Late last year, Holden announced the 41-year-old Commodore nameplate would be retired in 2020, after motorists rejected the rebadged Opel Insignia replacement for the rear-wheel drive model previously made in Adelaide.
Following that news, Holden’s former design chief Leo Pruneau told Daily Mail Australia GM would axe the Holden badge within a decade and instead market its products in Australia as Chevrolets.
That would end a tradition going back to 1948, when the first Australian-made Holden 48-215 rolled off the production line, spawning seven decades of local manufacturing that produced homegrown bestsellers from the Kingswood to the Torana and the Commodore.
Australia’s perennial bestseller is now a ute made in Thailand, with the Toyota HiLux (pictured) taking out the top spot in 2019 for the fourth year running. Toyota last year sold 47,649 HiLux utes – more than Holden managed selling seven different imported car models
A Roy Morgan market research survey released before Christmas also showed Holden didn’t even feature as one of Australia’s ten most trusted car brands – after the decision to end local manufacturing cost it goodwill.
Australia’s perennial bestseller is now a ute made in Thailand, with the Toyota HiLux taking out the top spot in 2019 for the fourth year running.
It comfortably outsold its nearest rival, notching up 47,649 sales.
The Ford Ranger, another ute made in Thailand, managed 40,690 sales to take second place.
The Toyota Corolla – Australia’s bestseller from 2013 to 2015 – came in at third place with 30,468 sales.
The Mitsubishi Triton came fourth with 25,819, making it one of three, Thai-built utes in the top ten.
Holden didn’t have a bestseller until the No.16 mark, with 17,472 Colorado utes sold.
Small cars took out four spots in the top ten, with the Corolla, Hyundai i30, Mazda3 and Kia Cerato making the cut.
Four-wheel drives, also known as SUVs, claimed three positions, with the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota LandCruiser on the top ten list.
In a bad year for Australian car dealers, overall vehicle sales plunged by 7.8 per cent in 2019 to 1,062,867 – the lowest annual figure since 2011.
This occurred even though the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates three times to a new record-low of 0.75 per cent.
Overall Holden sales last year plummeted by 28.9 per cent to 43,176, with the General Motors subsidiary barely scraping into the top ten for market share (pictured is the last Australian-made Holden Commodore rolling off the production line in Adelaide, October 2017)
The start of the 2010s was the last time an Australian-made car would ever be the bestseller, in the VE-series Holden Commodore.
The Mazda3 took the crown in 2011, marking the first time in Australian motoring history that a fully-imported car was No. 1.
It was the top-selling model again in 2012 before the Corolla claimed supreme status from 2013 to 2015.
The HiLux has been the undisputed leader since 2016.