10 cars with sales growth in 2022, belying the gloom

It’s not all doom and gloom out there in the automotive industry. Despite ongoing stock shortages and waiting lists, some vehicles are actually growing in uptake during 2022.

That goes against the overall market, where sales are down 4.1 per cent largely on account of insufficient shipments – a consequence of semiconductor shortages and COVID-led factory shutdowns for the most part.

Here are 10 relatively well-known, mainstream offerings showing good growth across 2022 in both percentage and numerical terms, relative to the same period in 2021. They’re listed alphabetically.

Hyundai Venue

3229 sales YTD, up 29.4 per cent

Hyundai as a whole is having a down year, but its cheapest vehicle is doing well. There’s been no recent update of note, yet Venue sales are up 29.4 per cent this year to 3229 sales, and its market share of the Light SUV segment has climbed from 10.4 per cent to 14.9 per cent.

MORE: Hyundai Venue news, reviews and showroom page

Kia Stinger

1371 sales YTD, up 76.2 per cent

Big, combustion performance sedans and fastbacks are supposed to be be a dying breed, but not Kia’s rear-wheel drive halo. Australian sales are up 76 per cent this year, almost all for the headlining twin-turbo V6, and it’s outsold the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (not perfect rivals, but there for context).

MORE: Kia Stinger news, reviews and showroom page

LDV D90

1844 sales YTD, up 285.8 per cent

The fast-growing Chinese brand is better known for its cheap utes and vans, but the D90 seven-seat SUV’s sales have skyrocketed this year. That’s mostly down to keen pricing kicking off at $36,990 drive-away, and topping out for the biturbo diesel option at $49,990.

MORE: LDV D90 news, reviews and showroom page

Mazda CX-30

7386 sales YTD, up 33.8 per cent

Mazda as a whole has tumbled nearly 10 per cent this year, but the CX-30 small crossover is a rare bright spot. In fact, its market share (14.9 per cent) makes it the number-two-selling Small SUV in the country this year, behind the MG ZS and ahead of the Mitsubishi ASX.

MORE: Mazda CX-30 news, reviews and showroom page

MG HS

3745 sales YTD, up 51.8 per cent

Another fast-growing Chinese brand, MG, already makes the top-selling Light Car (MG 3) and Small SUV (ZS), and its third model, the HS, is growing in popularity spurred on by decent supply, cheap pricing, and a growing plug-in hybrid range.

MORE: MG HS news, reviews and showroom page

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

4297 sales YTD, up 37.1 per cent

Mitsubishi’s affordable, Triton-based 4×4 is having a good year, due in large part to Australians with itchy feet. To the end of May, its sales eclipsed those of the Isuzu MU-X and Ford Everest, with 4297 finding a buyer keen on its towing and off-road cred.

MORE: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport news, reviews and showroom page

Nissan Patrol

2835 sales YTD, up 117.2 per cent

You should still expect a few months of waiting, but Nissan’s V8 behemoth has capitalised on LandCruiser 300 Series shortages by posting record sales in its Y62 generation – belying record fuel prices with its tendency to guzzling. Undeniable value, overall…

MORE: Nissan Patrol news, reviews and showroom page

Renault Koleos

1443 sales YTD, up 153.2 per cent

Renault’s ageing, oft-forgotten, Korea-made Koleos medium SUV is doing brisk business, cashing in as rivals battle shortages and constant price hikes. In so doing, its market share more than doubled from 0.8 per cent to 2.0 per cent.

MORE: Renault Koleos news, reviews and showroom page

Suzuki Baleno

3651 sales YTD, up 104.5 per cent

Alongside the similarly cheap and cheerful MG 3, the Suzuki Baleno from India has dominated the budget end of the new car market this year, more than doubling market share to 19.2 per cent. No frills, but plenty of metal for the money in context…

MORE: Suzuki Baleno news, reviews and showroom page

Toyota Prado

11,400 sales YTD, up 50.8 per cent

Toyota’s dominant Prado is no spring chicken, but it’s far and away the top-selling off-road-capable diesel SUV out there, favoured by tow-ers and adventurers (and school run specialists). Its growth this year, 50.8 per cent, has only enhanced its market share.

MORE: Toyota Prado news, reviews and showroom page