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Australian Buyers Aren’t Considering Holden For Their Next Vehicle Purchase

It seems the white-collars inside Holden have more damage control to take care of than they thought originally. According to a report from CarsGuide, Holden now ranks as one of the lowest considered brands with intent to purchase from consumers.

The survey collects views from over 5,000 car buyers, and asks them to rank brands they would most consider for their next vehicle. Holden has had an immense fall from grace. In 2006, 15 percent of those surveyed said they would purchase a Holden in the next four years. The latest survey? 7 percent. Holden now ranks nearly as low as Ford in consumers’ minds.

We can imagine it has something to do with the restructuring of the Holden brand, and the ceasing of manufacturing operations in the country. There’s no doubt that decision has left a bitter taste on the minds of Australian consumers.

Holden says it is working diligently to fix its perception problem, though. The brand launched its “Let’s Go There” advertising campaign, with intent to show a bright future ahead. Additionally, 24 new models are expected by the year 2020, most sourced from close-cousin Opel. And, Holden says there will always be a rear-wheel drive V8 powered vehicle in their lineup.

Holden knows the toughest time for the brand is now, but maybe it didn’t realize how tough these times actually are. After all, General Motors did admit to underestimating the impact the plant closure is having on the country.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Christopher Price

    When you stop selling what consumers want, and instead start selling what another country wants… you can expect this kind of response.

    The Opel-Holden umbilical cord is off to a bad start. As expected by everyone with a pulse.

    Reply
    1. Drum_Junkie

      Not necessarily the Opel-Holden Umbilical cord, but the loss of a home built RWD sedan. If Holden Engineering could be involved in adapting a RWD model for the specifics of the Aus market, that could go a long way toward rebuilding their brand image – even if it is imported. Even the mighty Commodore was Opel-based until 2006.
      Since AUS manufacturing is pretty much not an option, maybe at least keeping Holden Engineering along and giving them some voice will help repair some of the PR damage.

      Reply
      1. Christopher Price

        The only two “approved” efforts have been Avenir (which Holden apparently batted away from selling domestically – a bad call in my opinion), and possibly a RHD Corvette.

        RHD Corvette makes more sense in terms of a long C7 program selling in Europe alongside a high-MSRP mid-engine C8, so that’s more possible. Also the Corvette is a single-car platform program and easier to make drastic RHD/LHD seat changes without platform/project/plant considerations.

        But without a Solstice/Turbo-4 variant, it’s unlikely to satisfy sub-$50k buyer interest. It will just be a trophy/halo car, like when Chevrolet refuses to sell V6 SS Sedans in the USA for $33-37k.

        Reply
  2. scott3

    I you don’t want a Holden there are plenty of your imported Mazda 3 models that has been the top seller to go around. Or Toyota or Honda etc.

    Time to realize you are a very small market in a present day Global market today.

    Even in the largest markets we have seen much changed and condensation of the numbers of brands and model. We have lost some and may loose more like Chrysler if things don’t change.

    Don’t mean to be harsh but it is a harsh world today. If GM makes money with Holden they will remain if not they could be gone in 10 years. The market is small enough that they will not do it just to break even and they can not do that with limited models in a small market anymore.

    We gave no Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Olds here because there just was not enough money to support the small volume. If we took a hit you will feel the same though you guys are about 10 years behind the rest in change.

    Reply
    1. David

      Its hilarious that you still don’t get it Scott3, if GM aren’t selling what we want and keep on importing crap from Korea we wont give a damn if they are gone in 10 years. Good riddance and take your crap products with you GM. Also if you go back some pages I would like to say I told you so in regards to these plummeting sales figures and you were of the opinion that we were all overstating it. Funny how Australians know more about Australians than Americans isn’t it? Trust me when I say that unless GM lifts its game considerably no one will care about GM/Holden post 2017.

      Reply
  3. LouisF

    I’ve said it before and will say it again. The rivalry between GM (Holden) and Ford was more intense in Australia than anywhere else. Those loyal fans feel betrayed and are now resentful.

    Additionally Australians have always felt in their hearts that Holden was Australian owned rather than foreign owned, irrespective of the facts. Holden was part of their heritage and culture.

    For GM not to have appreciated the above is an indication of how little they understand of Holden history or the sentiments of Australians. Yes the financial numbers talk, but they could have put up a fight with the government’s lack of protection for the domestic industry.

    Most countries have protection of one form or another. The USA has unique safety and emission standards, China has ownership restrictions, Japan size restrictions and Europe has local production requirements. Meanwhile, Australia opens the door as wide as possible to imports.

    Unfortunately Holden is the poster boy for the failure of its domestic industry.

    Reply
  4. Aaron Young

    This is what you get for forcing crappy Korean-made, poorly built, unreliable, faulty products on the Australian public. The only decent cars to come with a Holden badge in the last five years has been the Commodore and it’s related derivatives (ute and Caprice). Everything else has been crap, even the Colorado which has gone downhill since the current model was introduced. For Volkswagen’s first real attempt at a ute (their previous one was simply a rebadged Hilux) to be miles ahead of GM’s poor attempt, just shows how awful GM thinks the Australian motoring public is. We don’t want a ute that looks like it’s a tryhard American barge and is made in Thailand with a 2.8 litre diesel, nor do we want the Craptiva, the Malibu which sits on a decade old Daewoo platform, or any of the other crap GM Korea pumps out of their cheap factory, especially at the overly inflated prices GM are whacking on them just for slapping on Holden badges (the Colorado for instance, is dearer, yet more poorly equipped than the Isuzu D-Max which comes from the same factory and doesn’t have that ghastly front end!). Take a leaf out of Ford’s book and have a look at the Ranger. Decent looks (still not the best, but looks a lot better than the Colorado), a six speed manual standard, much more comfortable and full of standard kit, with higher perceived value even though it’s actually a decent chunk dearer than the Colorado, it feels so much better put together and is a much better vehicle to drive. GM have stuffed up majorly with Holden, but then it seems to me as though that was their plan.

    Reply
    1. Tim

      I think you have no idea about Colorado.

      It is being received well by the public, despite not being quite up to the same level as the Ranger. A 6 Speed manual has been standard for quite some time (since MY14 arrived, which was late 2013).

      VW is dying a death with their tiny 2.0 Diesel motor and is having to sell them at lower prices than Colorado, just to compete. The D-Max is not selling anywhere near the numbers that Holden is selling the Colorado, despite the fact they are generally cheaper for the equivalent specced model, and on top of that, they don’t come out of the same factory anymore.

      The Australian market is all about having good product at a reasonable price. Have a look at how Mazda and Jeep have turned things around in a short amount of time. jeep went from 8,000 sales a year to 32,000, in the space of literally 3 years, all on the back of the WK Grand Cherokee and KL Cherokee. Much better products than they had been selling previously and at good competitive prices.

      You can write Holden off in 2017, after the majority of their new product has arrived and hasn’t fired. There’s plenty of irons in the fire.

      Reply
      1. holdenisaustralian

        Colorado is 4th in Truck sales, beating only the Isuzu D-Max (literally the same vehicle but with a much smaller dealer network) and the soon to be replaced Nissan Navara.

        Reply
  5. holdenisaustralian

    In the top 20 car sales, there are only 2 holdens, both Australian made. Commodore at 4th (mostly 3 but drops to 4th on the odd month… usually around the time Hyundai has a sale on i30’s – which are 3rd lol) and Cruze at 14th.

    Reply
  6. scott3

    I know you guys are proud and you are hurting from losing the kinds of cars you like. But the reality is your countrymen has abandon many of your home market cars before GM pulled the plug. Sales of Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai and especially Mazda have grown very fast taking market share with FWD cheaper cars vs. home built RWD.

    You can hate me as much as you like but the fact is with lost market share to the others and dropping sales of RWD cars you just don’t buy enough of them to go it alone anymore.

    We saw the same thing here and had to adapt unless you want to walk or just drive old worn out cars the rest of your life.

    The fact is GM and Ford killed RWD do to dropping sales and lower profits. The lead selling car in you country is a FWD 4 cylinder by a wide margin. GM just could not stay there and do nothing as sales continue to decline. Ford did the same thing and will use the Mustang for the RWD. GM will have something for you soon. I expect it may not be the Camaro but it could even be a car based on the Camaro designed for your market. They would have taken it a step farther than Ford and make something more in tune to your needs.
    Let this play out and just see where you are. The fact things are going to change like it or not but at least see where you end up before all the piss and vinegar.

    The fact is you are going to have to get use to the fact you are going to have to adapt to more global platforms just as the rest of the world. In some cases that is not great but in others you will get things a country that buys less cars than California would never get.

    Reply
  7. holdenisaustralian

    I agree with you Scott3 on that the market is small but to say Australians abandoned local cars by buying imports isn’t exactly correct. There is much more to it than that. The only Australian cars that were truly abandoned were the two Fords (Falcon and Territory) which the biggest blame is a lack of marketing and product renewal. Commodore is still selling well, Cruze was a top seller too and has only dropped out of the top 5 since it was announced that GM was quitting on Australia. The Toyota Camry is a top 5 seller and Toyota Australia actually export more than they sell locally.

    Reply
    1. David

      I commend your efforts on trying to make Scott3 see reason mate but save your breath. He cant see that these plummeting sales figures are due to GM’s horrific management of closing local manufacturing from the were still here and lets go there advertising campaigns to the vehicle selection and being told what we will buy instead of trying to sell us something close to what we want even if it is imported. This whole Holden debacle will go down in history as one of Australia’s worst PR disasters.

      Reply
      1. scott3

        David I know some have left because they are mad at GM but where are they going? To the Asian cars that they already were defecting to in the first place.

        The best example of what is going on is you can be mad at me but taking a gun and shooting yourself in the foot is not going to make things better.

        If you have a home brand yet with Ford and Holden you should support what they have. Also they need to make sure they have better cars than Toyota and Mazda be it FWD or not.

        Reply
        1. David

          Some have left? Do you understand numbers? Almost 60% of people considering buying a Holden a year before the closures were announced have now decided they will not buy a new Holden. I would say that is a catastrophic sales decline more than a few people but each to their own. How are we shooting ourselves in the foot Scott3? GM will be importing cars like everyone else soon regardless of the nation of origin so why would we be loyal to GM? As a matter of fact Nissan will be the largest employer of Australians in parts manufacturing for cars here in Australia after Holden closes so i may buy myself an R35 to support my fellow Aussies. GM pissed off the Australian people and GM shot themselves in the foot Scott3.

          Reply
    2. scott3

      I appreciate your feelings but I have looked at the sales of Ford and GM in Australia and it has been on a solid slide long before they spoke of pulling RWD and local production.

      The Cheaper Asian imports have grown and continue to grow as they are often cheaper to buy and get better MPG. We saw the same thing here too.

      We lost production with imported American brands and even some rebranded from Toyota. We saw models go to Mexico and Canada to avoid the CAFE issues in the past and now Mexico for labor savings.

      The increases of cars like Hyundai and others have taken a small pie and cut it in even more smaller pieces making it difficult to sell cars there. Toyota holds about twice the market that GM holds and it has only continued to grow,

      Ford has slid off the map in sales as they can not even be counted with the top models anymore.

      The fact is the Asian brands has sold and have taken away market share from the home brands that have been there for decades. Like here we have people like you that feel we should support the home brands but like here and myself I am in the minority. Most people shop with their wallets and the cheaper cars often win.

      While we too have a segment for V8 RWD cars it is a small one at best. It also getting to be an expensive one too. You will see most people will be happy with the FWD 4 cylinders and that is what most companies will offer.

      Next you will see increases in the truck market as many of the RWD car buyers will move to the trucks just as they have done here. You already had a strong truck market and it will only get bigger. The companies will love that as they make more money on trucks.

      Reply
  8. Ex - Holden

    As I previously remarked, it always seemed to me to be a short sighted decision by our Government and the factory. The AUD will fall to below 70c US possibly even 60c as the US economy recovers and moves forward. Once the US interest rates start to rise, just watch our dollar fall. Imported cars will sky rocket in price and then they’ll think… Maybe we should have thought twice about canning the automotive industry in Australia. Too late then fella’s.. It’s all over..

    Reply
  9. Pablo

    The Oz market has been lost by the Amercian’s. They have little understanding of our buying needs and provided poor quality fwd product. Holden is a one trick pony – I will say it until I am red in the face “no Commodore no Holden”. You can forget about the import fwd Commodore – what an insult. I have a new VF work car and also convinced two other colleagues to order a VF. We like rwd large cars but do not like the inferior overseas offering. John Crellin stated GM trashed Holden with their idiotic decision to import Daweoo rubbish over the previously well accepted Opels – Astra, Vectra and Corsa (Barina). Come 2017 nothing in the GM family currently takes my fancy. Do not patronise me with your feeble attempts to defend GM ludicrous and short sighted management – GM have killed Holden in Oz – rename the business Chevrolet!

    Reply

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