News

Isuzu Ute Ranks As Top-10 Brand (1237)

Reflective of the evolution in consumer tastes and needs, Utes and SUVs continued to dominate the local new car market in 2022; accounting for close to three-quarters of the 1.08 million vehicles sold. Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA), with just two models to its name—the D-MAX and MU-X—continued to ride that wave of local popularity, finishing the year in the top-10 for the first time by charting as Australia's 9th best-selling brand of the year out of over 50 on sale, with 35,323 vehicles delivered; just 412 vehicles shy of the annual record set in 2021.

With the Australian new car market showing signs of recovery and growth, a total of 1,081,429 new vehicles found their way to new owners in 2022, an increase of 3 per cent over 2021, as reported by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

Regarded as one of the most saturated new car markets in the world, with close to 450 models from over 50 automotive brands selling locally to choose from, Australian motorists are certainly not limited for choice. Proving a popular choice amongst motorists, IUA accounted for 3.2 per cent of all new vehicles sold in 2022 and successfully outsold established marques including, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW, and Honda.

Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director, Hiroyasu Sato, said that the top-10 finish is "reflective of the customer first approach and the product being in tune with market standards."

"At the heart of everything we do is our customer. We've listened to the feedback and have worked tirelessly with the factory to continually improve our vehicles to meet their expectations. Charting as Australia's ninth best-selling automotive brand of 2022 is a huge result for our two-vehicle marque and it wouldn't've been possible without our customers," Mr Sato said.

"I would also like to take this moment to thank our customers waiting for their vehicle delivery for their patience. We remain committed to delivering their vehicle as quickly as possible and look forward to welcoming them to the family soon."

By the end of 2022, IUA had delivered an accumulated total of 193,943 D-MAX Utes and 72,357 MU-X SUVs since the brand commenced operations locally in 2008.

According to that same annual report, one-in-five buyers opted for a Ute in 2022, accounting for 21.1 per cent of the entire new vehicle market.

With local affection for the versatile Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) at an all-time high, the Isuzu D-MAX witnessed similar levels of popularity, with 24,336 examples sold, for a 11.2 per cent market share—equating to a stake of about one-in-ten new Utes sold. Throughout the year, the D-MAX consistently ranked within the top-10 vehicles sold overall, finishing 2022 as Australia's 7th best-selling vehicle overall, to outsell popular passenger vehicles including, the MG ZS (22,466), Hyundai i30 (21,166), and Toyota Prado (21,102).

Dissecting the sales report further reveals that the D-MAX 4x2 was Australia's 3rd best-selling 4x2 Ute, with 4,212 sold throughout 2022, outselling the Mitsubishi Triton 4x2 by 729 vehicles.

"The public reception of the D-MAX has been incredible, and so is the fact that it continues to rank as one of Australia's top-10 selling vehicles each month. The fact that one-in-ten Ute buyers chose a new D-MAX in 2022 is reflective that the continuous updates are meeting market expectations. We are so grateful to everyone that made that choice," reflected Mr Sato.

With over half of Australian new car buyers favouring an SUV as their new vehicle of choice, motorists have never had as much choice as they do so today, with close to 150 different SUV models to choose from.

Analysing the numbers further revealed that the 'SUV Large < $70K' segment in which the Isuzu MU-X shares company with 24 other models, was accountable for 120,705 of the annual new vehicle volume. Proving as one of the top-choices in this hotly contested segment, the MU-X sold in record numbers throughout the year, with one-in-ten large SUV buyers with a budget under $70,000 choosing an MU-X to a total of 10,987 sold, for a 9.1 per cent share of its respective segment. This annual sales volume was enough for the Isuzu MU-X to secure 3rd position within the segment, in the process outselling the Ford Everest (10,314), Subaru Outback (9,739), and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (8,838).

With the evolution in SUV design shifting towards city-focused features, many buyers are gravitating towards 'Ute-based SUVs'—which adopt the underpinnings of their Ute stablemates; with a comparable chassis, high ground clearance and robust powertrain. With its 2022 sales charts success on the board, the MU-X is once again the top-selling 'Ute-based SUV'—marking the 9th consecutive year the MU-X has cemented its position atop of the 'Ute-based SUV' sales chart, since its debut in December 2013.

"The MU-X keeps eclipsing its own record, year after year. Not only has it worn the #1 selling 'Ute-based SUV' crown for nine years in a row, but it has also consistently charted towards the pointy end of its respective segment and continues to outsell its previous annual total," remarked a proud Mr Sato.

"With 2023 marking 10 years since the MU-X became available locally, perhaps another milestone is just around the corner for this family favourite."

With consumer appetite for Utes and SUVs growing to record levels, all signs point toward a strong year ahead for the Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X, particularly with both models recently updated to 23MY-specification to keep them towards the top of their respective segments.