In a study conducted by Roy Morgan Research, one in eight Australian consumers prefer locally made vehicles for their next new-car purchase today, down from one in four a decade earlier.
WardsAuto reports that while cars such as the Holden Commodore, Chevrolet Cruze and Toyota Camry are at the top of the list for Australian-built new vehicle purchases, the overall decline in is due to the kind of vehicles made in Australia, as Roy Morgan Research Automotive Account director Jordan Parks explains:
Over the last 10 years, Australian car-buying preferences have changed substantially – with the small-car market in Australia now clearly the dominant segment. SUVs are also taking share from the once-dominant large-car segment, with more than 20% of buyers now after either a medium or large SUV.
Parks also adds that more options available to Australian consumers, a stronger Australian dollar, and decreasing tariffs also are among the growing number of factors fueling the import boom:
When combining the increase in choice, changing vehicle preferences, higher local labor costs, strong Australia dollar, increasing petrol prices and decreased tariff protection, it is not surprising to see the gradual demise of the locally built large car.
With the end of the local industry coming over the horizon, Parks believes that the tariffs that once protected the industry would all but vanish, allowing new-car prices to fall to more affordable levels as a result of savings of up to $1 billion AUD in annual fees paid by importers.
No mention is made of what it costs to register a six or eight cylinder car in Australia. Depending on which state ,the amount levied each year to keep the car on the road is $1000 or more ,add to that insurance and the high cost of fuel and maintenance,a Falcon or commodore looked like a bad choice .Even the traditional fleet buyers ,government and taxi operators have been buying smaller more reliable brands .The blame for this can be laid fairly at the feet of the Labor governments ,blinded by green party influence to get gas guzzling v8’s off the roads.
I do like the amount of vehicles we have to choose from. This article is a given though. Why else would GM, Ford and Toyota stop production here.
The 350 different vehicles as the article pointed out doesn’t include the grey imports.
GM, Ford and Toyota didn’t read the market very good. I suppose if a restaurant offer a poor menu choice they should close up shop.
I suppose if our government wanted us to buy hamburgers only, they would tax KFC 25%. Some other countries do that.