Australians looking to buy cars aren't impressed by locally made options

While many Australians are looking to purchase new cars in 2014, they aren't leaning toward models that have been manufactured Down Under.

According to the latest facts and figures published by Roy Morgan Research, just one in eight people who are thinking about upgrading their current vehicle are planning to buy Australian-made. This compares with the one in four people who said the same in 2003.

Jordan Pakes, Group Account Director (Automotive) at Roy Morgan Research, said it's not that Australians have lost faith in the country's automotive sector - it's simply a matter of taste. The models our automotive sector produces simply aren't as popular as they once were.

In 2014, the small car market is dominating. Mr Pakes revealed that one in four people are planning to buy a vehicle from this segment, while SUVs and other medium-sized cars are also more popular than ever before.

A decade ago, large vehicles were Australians go-to models, with 26 per cent of those looking to purchase new cars wanting one from this segment. In 2014, this has shrunk to 7.6 per cent.

Mr Pakes revealed the Holden Commodore is the "most popular locally made car" - 4 per cent of prospective car-purchasers said they were expecting to drive one of these home in the next 12 months or so.

In second place is the Holden Cruze, which got 2.4 per cent of the market. This is the first time the model has knocked the Toyota Camry/Vienta into third place - just 2.1 per cent of would-be vehicle buyers are considering this model.

No matter what type of car you buy - Australian-made or imported, large or small - make sure you conclude your purchase by organising business vehicle insurance through Elders Insurance.

We offer a range of business insurance options, and have recently been awarded "Business Insurer of the Year" at the third-annual Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Awards.