The state’s automotive industry suffered its first monthly decline of new vehicle sales for the past six months in June, according to the latest data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Vehicle sales in Western Australia were off 0.8 per cent in June, compared with the previous year, at 10,080.
It was the first time in 2018 that WA had registered a decline, although the state still recorded a 4.1 per cent increase for the year to date, compared with last year.
The monthly decline was primarily due to a 10.5 per cent drop in passenger vehicle sales, which were down to 2,866.
Heavy commercial vehicle sales also fell 16 per cent, to 293.
SUV sales continued to rise, with a 7.4 per cent increase for June taking the year-to-date rise to 9.8 per cent.
Nationally, there were 130,300 new vehicle sales in June, down 2.9 per cent over the year.
In the 12 months to June, sales totalled 1,195,086 units, down from 1,198,957 units in May, but up 1.3 per cent on a year ago.
Annual SUV sales hit a record high of 490,656 units in June and now account for 41.1 per cent of all new vehicles sold.
“Car sales and the housing market are slowing, but tell that to the tradies out there purchasing record numbers of SUVs and utes,” CommSec senior economist Ryan Felsman said.
“The Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton dominate motor vehicle purchases.”
