Our take on the latest Car registrations (Mon 6 May 2019)
New small car registrations down 8.5%pa in the 3 months to April 2019
New large car registrations up 0.8%pa in the 3 months to April 2019
Used car registrations down 2.6%pa in the 3 months to April 2019
The key numbers...
- April is usually the slowest month of the year for car registrations, particularly so this year with both Easter and ANZAC Day falling in the month.
- Even taking public holidays into account, new car registrations continued to cool in April
- New small car registrations declined for the fifth month in a row. This drop was offset by a rise in new large car registrations, but this segment has been volatile in recent months, with the underlying trend probably flat.
- We continue to expect new car registrations to remain subdued this year.
- Used small car registrations posted their third consecutive rise in April 2019 while the decline in used large car registrations that began early last year continues to show signs of petering out.
New car registrations
3M APC (%)
...and our reaction
- In the three months to April 2019, new car registrations fell 2.3%pa. New small car registrations fell 8.5%pa, while new large car registrations rose 0.8%pa.
- In the three months to April 2019, used car registrations fell 2.6%pa. Used small car registrations rose 12%pa, while used large car registrations fell 11.7%pa.
Latest updates
Premium
Car registrations
Strong car registrations despite Iran War
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Quarterly
+19%pa New car registrations in June 2026 quarter+165%pa EV registrations in June 2026 quarter
Fuel prices off highs, still 19% higher than pre-conflictPremium
Car registrations
EV car registrations surge following fuel price spike
Thu 2 Apr 2026
Quarterly
4x higher Full battery EV registrations than in March 2025
Fuel prices rise 30%+ in March 2026Car registrations trending lower before the warCar registrations
Total car registrations slowly lifting from low
Mon 12 Jan 2026
Quarterly
183,099 Total car registrations in the year to December 2025, down 1.1%pa
Quarterly new car registrations up 6.7%paQuarterly used car registrations down 4.1%paCar registrations
New car registrations lift the annual total from a low
Wed 1 Oct 2025
Quarterly
182,258 Total car registrations in the year to September, up 5.7%pa
New car registrations up 20%pa from September 2024Used car registrations down 7.3%pa from September 2024