Weekly Dealer Car Enquiries: March 7, 2021

In this series, which we hope to bring to you on a regular basis, we’ll be detailing some of the key numbers and trends that we’re seeing in terms of dealer connections made through our site.

As this data is considered somewhat representative of broader industry activity, and serves as one of the more insightful leading indicators for potential car sales, we hope it will fulfil a few purposes for our broad audience. First, to document not just how we’re performing as business, but how dealers and the wider market stand to perform, so you don’t have to wait til that next set of official sales data.

Without further ado, here’s what happened over the last week.

Total new car enquiries

In the week ending Sunday, March 7, 2,358 dealer connections were recorded through the PriceMyCar platform. Although that represents a 6% decrease compared with the week prior, paired with news around industry new car sales growing for the fourth consecutive month, there are definite upshoots in place that bode well for dealers.

Last week also saw news that Australia’s economic recovery is roaring along, with growth far and away exceeding expectations. With a reading of 3.1% for the final quarter of 2020, it was the first time in recorded history that Australia posted two consecutive quarters of economic growth of more than 3%. It’s a great backdrop for new car sales, particularly with second-hand vehicle prices rocketing higher and maximising the value of buying new.

New car interest by brand

Kia and Mazda switched positions atop the list of new car enquiries. That came as numbers for Kia queries rose 11.1% to reclaim the 300-mark, while dealer connections for Mazda eased 12.5% to 260.

Elsewhere, there was a modest pullback in interest for Isuzu vehicles, however, that contrasted industry news that its predominant ute, the D-MAX, had a roaring month in February, alongside perennial favourites in the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50. As such, the broader trend for Isuzu still seems strong enough to remain intact, weekly fluctuations aside. 

Chinese-owned brands like LDV, MG and Haval continue to see a robust level of interest from new car buyers, which is likely due to the fact they are pitched as affordable options for budget-conscious motorists.

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