THE 15-year reign of the Holden Commodore as Australia's No.1 car could be ending.
The full-sized family favourite has been mauled by a pair of baby-class contenders this year and, with just one month until the end of the 2011 stoush, it trails the Mazda3 by 301 sales.
The Toyota Corolla topped the sales charts in November for its fourth monthly win of 2011. The Mazda3 also trumped the Commodore again after the Holden was only fifth in October.
The November results reported in VFacts sales figures show Holden and Mazda trading the year-to-date lead again in a reflection of the touch-and-go battle between the two cars throughout the year.
The 3 has topped two individual months, far less than the Commodore, but the focus is now on the final numbers on December 31.
In November, Toyota sold 3731 Corollas, Mazda managed 3480 with the Mazda3, and the Commodore was well behind on 2808.
Despite the closeness of the battle, and the importance of No.1 bragging rights, both Holden and Mazda said they were not focused on the numbers.
"We've said all along that it's going to be a tough fight. But our focus is on profitability," said Shayna Welsh, of Holden.
Steve Maciver, of Mazda Australia, said: "At the end of the day, the Mazda3 is secure in its position as Australia's No.1 small car.
"Whether it's No.1 overall is not something we're greatly concerned about.
"Consistency has been the key to Mazda3's success. Some of our competitors have been up and down, but that's the key to this success."
The results through 2011 reflect the overall downsizing in Australian driveways, with the Commodore hit hard and the Ford Falcon battling through a huge double-digit decline that is almost certain to result in a successor that is designed and developed overseas.
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