Doing less with more: How Tesla, MG, Ford and more are selling lots of cars with limited choice

Diversity has been the keyword for car makers for the past decade (or more), with increasingly small gaps in seemingly ever-expanding model line-ups. But some brands are demonstrating that a little can go a long way.

Toyota leads the new-car sales race with 21 models to choose from and brands like Mazda and Volkswagen offer a broad range of models to try and cater to every need. Mazda, for example, offers six SUVs (CX-3, CX-30, MX-30, CX-5, CX-8 and CX-9) with a seventh locked in (CX-60) and more on the way (CX-80, CX-90 and maybe even CX-50), so it’s not surprising the brand is a best-seller.

However, there are car companies that prove focusing on a limited number of models can be advantageous. Take Mitsubishi for example. The Japanese brand is on-course to finish in the top five brands for the year and will do so with less than half the amount of options fifth-placed Hyundai has.

Read More About Tesla Model 3

Australian car market: Car sales, statistics and figures Where did the sedans go? Here's the data on all the types of cars Australians are buying in 2022 Toyota topples Ford! Old HiLux outperforms new Ranger in Australia's dual-cab duel in November

Here, then, are the brands that are succeeding at proving less can sometimes equal more.

All sales data is taken from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries year-to-date November figures.

Tesla - two models - 17,328 sales

Year-to-date, Tesla has sold 9071 Model 3s.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it seems Australians are buying ‘em. Despite the Model S and Model X being unavailable to local buyers, Tesla’s two-pronged attack with the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV is proving incredibly successful.

Exactly how successful? The American brand is set to become the third best-selling luxury brand in this country in 2022, beating the likes of Audi, Lexus and Land Rover to the honour. Only the broader ranges offered by Mercedes-Benz and BMW keep them ahead of Tesla, albeit by a comfortable margin.

Interestingly, the two Teslas are split almost evenly, with the year-to-date to November sales indicating 9071 Model 3 compared to 8257 Model Y.

Isuzu - two models - 32,818 sales

Isuzu currently sits eighth on the overall sales charts.

It’s not just Tesla that can make two models incredibly popular, with the often overlooked Isuzu also performing extremely well with limited choices. The D-Max ute and its MU-X SUV sibling are not only selling well in their own right, but together they have shifted more than 30,000 vehicles in the first 11 months of ‘22 which puts Isuzu eighth on the overall sales charts.

That’s ahead of the likes of Subaru and Volkswagen, the latter of which offers a whopping 19 models locally showing just how impressive Isuzu’s double-act is.

MG - three models - 44,388 sales

MG is well established as a top 10 brand on the overall sales charts.

Expanding slightly, Chinese-owned MG has been one of the revelations of the Australian car industry in recent years with its three model line-up. Despite only having three choices, Australians have snapped up the MG3 hatch and ZS and HS SUVs at such a rate that MG is already well established as a top 10 brand on the overall sales charts.

The MG ZS finished November as the most popular SUV in the country, out-selling the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander. Not only that, but it was the fourth best-selling model overall for the month, beaten only by the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Toyota Corolla.

There’s more help coming in 2023, with the MG4 electric hatch expected to increase its appeal and therefore sales, so there’s room for expansion for the brand.

Mitsubishi - five models - 72,064 sales

Mitsubishi has shifted over 72,000 cars this year.

As mentioned earlier, the Japanese brand is on its way to a top five finish in the sales race, but could even finish as high as third with a bumper December being just over 600 units behind Kia. 

What’s remarkable is that it will sell more than 72,000 new vehicles with only five options in its line-up - Triton, Pajero Sport, Outlander, Eclipse Cross and ASX. Full disclosure, technically it has still sold examples of the Express, Mirage and Pajero in ‘22 but all three are no longer part of the official line-up and make up just a small percentage of the overall volume.

Obviously it helps to have one of the best-selling utes in the country and as well as two very popular models in the small and medium SUV markets. But that’s only proof that a car company can enjoy success by prioritising the markets that present the most opportunity.

Ford - six models - 60,463

Ranger and Everest make up 52,204 of Ford’s 60,463 total sales. (Image: Marcus Craft)

While lots of brands have been adding models in recent years, Ford has been going the other way. In the recent past the Blue Oval has dropped the Falcon, Territory, Mondeo, EcoSport, Endura, Focus and Fiesta. 

Of course, the models it hasn’t dropped are the Ranger and Everest because those are where the brand really excels. In fact, even without the Puma, Escape, Mustang and Transit, Ford would still deserve a place on this list based on the sheer number of Rangers and Everests it sells.

The ute/SUV pair have accounted for 52,204 of Ford’s 60,463 total sales year-to-date, which is a staggering 86 per cent of the brand’s volume. That’s so many that even with only those two models the Blue Oval wouldn’t drop a spot on the overall sales charts.

The good news for the brand is there is help on the way in ‘23, with the F150 and new Mustang set to arrive during the year.