– By David Brown –
It should not be a surprise that a wide range of new models will come onto the Australian car market in 2017. Australia has over 50 car brands and about 16 truck brands with over 400 different model name plates (such as Corolla or Hilux) on sale. Technology is developing fast and having a new model is a good marketing advantage.
Some of the new models are face lifts, some complete the model range, some are significant upgrades and some are a major release aimed to revive or expand a manufacturers’ fortunes. The most significant push is to new technology with benefits to the fleet industry of better functionality, safety and comfort.
Light Commercial
In 2016 the Hilux topping the sales chart but with so many models on the market they did it with just over 3.5% of the total market. Of the four major segments in the market light commercials showed the greatest growth in 2016.
But while there are many releases planned in 2017, upgraded models of light commercials appear light on.
The light van segment favoured by couriers and florists has just seen Renault, who have the biggest seller the Kangoo compact van, launch a new model with 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine which has a focus on efficiency.
Renault will also upgrade is midsize Trafic while the once very popular Ford Transit will also get an upgrade before the half way point of the year.
There are rumours that Renault will eventually release a ute-truck into the Australian market but Renault is saying not yet.
Passenger cars
Passenger car sales are declining and total sales in February were surpassed by SUVs. They are still a major segment of the market and typically they offer the best value for money. I feel you pay for the privilege of sitting up higher in an SUV even though many are now based on a passenger car platform.
Don’t underestimate the Koreans in small cars.
Kia has just launch its fourth-generation Rio (which will be tested in full by Fleet Auto News soon). It is easy to drive around the city and has some nice comfort features such as reversing camera on all models but the low powered engine and four speed automatic make the performance dynamics quite ordinary.
Kia will also release an all new Picanto in the smallest segment of vehicles, the compacts. This new model comes pretty soon after the first Picanto on the Australian market which was a model that had been sold overseas for five years. The first Picanto is selling well in its segment so the new one can only make that better.
In the slightly bigger class, Hyundai will launch the third generation of its i30 which is the second bestselling car in its segment behind the Corolla (which is soon to get an “update”) and ahead of the Mazda 3. Hyundai are talking up this release as a major step for this vehicle.
A couple of models will get variations that will widen the options. Honda released its Civic sedan in 2016 to good reviews. They will soon get the hatch version and later the type R sporty hatch.
Renault will get sedan and wagon variants of the Megane to supplement the hatch that was launched in October.
In the larger cars look for a lot of marketing (and possible deals) when Holden stops building the Commodore. Commodore and Falcons have been the staple of the Australian market since forever but now that image of solid, Australian build vehicles is being left behind. There will be a few runout Commodore specials then Holden will give the Commodore name plate to a European model. It will not be front wheel drive (which will keep the police interested) but with no V8 and turbo technology it is clearly moving away from the Detroit muscle car image that it has had in the past.
Kia will also release a rear wheel drive sedan, the Stinger. I think it looks great. It has a smooth flowing design that Jaguar has also achieved and is proud of. The top of the range will come with a twin turbo 3.3 litre V6.
The Volkswagen brand name is a bit on the nose at the moment but one of their other brands, Skoda, deserves a closely look in my opinion. They will upgrade their grandiosely named large sedan and wagon, the Superb, which is already a pretty good vehicle.
SUVs
Medium and especially large SUVs have shown the most growth in sales in 2016 but the smaller SUV segment is about to get a number of shots in the arm.
The big news is that Toyota finally gets into the small SUV market with their new C-HR with an aim of appealing to a younger demographic. Hyundai will also get a small SUV to fill a gaping hole in their fleet offering.
Holden will upgrade their Trax and Subaru will get a new XV, hopefully with more power.
SAIC should debut its Chinese MG Motors baby SUV called ZS coming which has already been tested by ANCAP with a resultant crash rating of 4 stars.
If you go up market Audi will release their Q2 in February which I have seen and is one of the better looking SUVs from Audi.
In the mid size SUVs, Honda’s CR-V, which was an early entry into the mid-sized ‘soft-roader’ market, will get a significant upgrade. Holden will introduce the Equinox as a replacement for the Captiva 5. The Captiva was mainly sold on price, not class leading comfort and dynamics, and won’t be lamented. The top selling medium SUV (actually the top selling SUV overall), the Mazda CX-5 is to get an overhaul.
A new seven-seater from Skoda will be launched in Australia around mid-year and at the expensive end of the market, I am going to the launch of the Maserati SUV, the Levante, in early February.
Luxury
My most anticipated prestige car is the new Alfa Guilia. It could be seen as the next step after the 159 sedan that has not been on the Australian market for a few years. But Alfa see it as much more than an upgraded model. They are using it to relaunch the Alfa brand in Australia. For some time now the only sedan they have had on the market is the cutesy Giulietta. I think it is quirky more than stylish. The 159 on the other hand had a sophistication and was one of the most beautiful looking cars I have seen. Not in the exotic sense but a car with character and style. Without a hint of trying to make the owner look rich it still managed to make them look chic.
And so 2017 will be a good year for new models, particularly passenger and SUV cars.
While new cars on the market look bright and shiny, it can also be a time to when deals are going on superseded models for fleets looking at a bulk changeover.
