Car sales hit eight-year low in July

NEW motor vehicle sales posted their biggest monthly drop in more than eight years in July,

New motor vehicle sales fell by 6.9 per cent, seasonally adjusted, to 75,006 units in July, from 80,559 units in June, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said.

The "other vehicles'' category, which includes vans, trucks and buses, fell by 25.7 per cent in the month, to 14,785 in July from 19,890 a month earlier.

Sales of sports utility vehicles fell to 3.8 per cent to 15,379 in the month, while passenger vehicle sales were 0.4 per cent higher at 44,842 in July.