New data reveals Australia’s most popular car brands
Controversy over the future of EVs in Australia seems to have done little to hurt their popularity - in fact the opposite is true.
The sale of electric vehicles sales in Australia have exploded amid controversy over subsidies and taxes levied on the state-of-the art cars.
According to the latest sales figures for August published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council, the 3 per cent year-on-year increase in sales to over 100,000 is due in large part to growth in EV demand.
That is primarily on the back of super strong local demand for the updated Tesla Model Y, sales of which were up a whopping 75 per cent when compared to August 2024.
That made the Model Y the fifth most popular car sold in Australia in August.
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Elon Musk’s EV giant sold 2324 units of the Model Y last month, which compared very favourable to No.1 seller the Ford Ranger, enjoyed 4942 deliveries.
Chinese giant BYD has also enjoyed huge demand for its EVs. It sold 3064 cars in August, compated to just 963 a year earlier - an massive increase of 218 per cent.
The explosion in EV sales comes amid calls to levy an EV tax on electric vehicles, which currently don’t have any duties on them akin to petrol excise.
There are also calls for the EV fringe benefits concessions to be scrapped.
FORD RANGER RETURNS TO NO.1
The Ford Ranger has reclaimed its crown as Australia’s best-selling vehicle but that hasn’t stopped China’s growing domination of the Aussie market from accelerating even further.
Fresh data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) reveal that 103,694 new vehicles were sold in Australia, up from 100,786 the previous year.
Despite this increase, the overall market is down 2.1 per cent year-on-year.
The Ford Ranger reclaimed top spot with 4,942 units sold, narrowly edging out its fierce rival, the Toyota HiLux, which recorded 4,823 sales. Toyota’s RAV4 wasn’t far behind, securing 4,115 deliveries and maintaining its position as one of the country’s favourite SUVs.
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For the first time, four Chinese manufacturers – BYD, GWM, MG, and Chery – made it into the top 10. Together, they accounted for nearly 20 per cent of all sales, pushing brands like Isuzu Ute, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Nissan out of the top spots.
BYD led the charge, finishing sixth overall, while GWM, MG, and Chery filled out the lower end of the top 10 list.
FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said the presence of four Chinese brands in the top 10 “illustrates the continuing evolution” of the Australian car market. “Consumers have an extraordinary range of vehicles to choose from – more than 400 models, including around 100 EVs,” he said.
The MG ZS compact SUV was another standout performer, finishing fourth with 2,680 sales, ahead of the Isuzu D-Max in fifth with 2,314.
Other notable entries in the top 10 included the Ford Everest (2,203), Toyota Prado (2,033), Hyundai Kona (1,983), Toyota Corolla (1,823), and Chery Tiggo 4 (1,780).
Important to note: While Tesla doesn’t report its sales data to VFacts, the Model Y was technically the fifth-best-selling vehicle in August.
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Despite the Ranger’s win, Toyota remains the dominant force in the market, delivering 20,791 vehicles in August – more than double Ford’s 8,002, according to the latest VFacts data.
Kia followed with 7,402 sales, bolstered by the early success of its new Tasman ute. Mazda, Hyundai, BYD, Mitsubishi, GWM, MG, and Chery rounded out the top 10 brands.
SUVs continue to dominate Australian roads, making up 60 per cent of all sales last month, with 60,495 units sold.
Light commercial vehicles, including utes, accounted for 23 per cent of the market, while passenger cars continued their decline, representing just 13.1 per cent of sales – a 25 per cent drop year-to-date.
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Electric vehicles are also gaining momentum, with sales surging 69.8 per cent in August. Tesla remains the leader in the EV space, with its Model Y SUV seeing a 74.7 per cent year-on-year increase.
According to the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), Polestar had a standout month. The brand saw sales soar by a staggering 250.8 per cent, marking one of the most significant gains in August.
“As the number of electrified vehicles increases, governments must support a smooth transition away from fuel excise. A road user charge is needed to provide an enduring revenue stream to support road and recharging infrastructure,” Mr Weber said.
Other standout performers include Mini, with 430 deliveries marking a 184.8 per cent increase, Cupra with 188 deliveries, up by 42.4 per cent, and Honda with 1185 deliveries, reflecting a 40.1 per cent rise.
Originally published as New data reveals Australia’s most popular car brands
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