Australia’s new vehicle market remained stable in October, with 99,588 cars sold, an increase of 1.2 per cent compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date sales have now passed one million vehicles, sitting only slightly below 2024 levels.
Shift toward electrified choices
The strongest trend was the rise in hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Hybrids accounted for 17.8 per cent of all sales in October, while PHEVs made up 4.7 per cent. By comparison, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represented 7.3 per cent.
This marks a 25 per cent year-on-year increase for hybrids and a 95 per cent surge for PHEVs. BEV uptake remained steady. Across the year so far, hybrids are up 12 per cent, while PHEVs have risen by 137.4 per cent.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber said the results show Australians are choosing electrified vehicles that suit a broad range of driving needs.
“The October results confirm that Australians are increasingly choosing hybrid and PHEV models as a practical path towards lower emissions,” Mr Weber said. “Petrol-only vehicles, on the other hand, continue to lose ground.”
SUVs remain on top
SUVs continued to dominate the market, making up 61.7 per cent of total sales. Medium SUVs remained the single most popular category nationwide. Passenger vehicles accounted for only 12.2 per cent of sales, highlighting the ongoing shift away from traditional sedans and hatchbacks.
Chinese brands grow market share
Chinese-built vehicles strengthened their position, with sales rising 40 per cent compared with October last year. Four Chinese brands again placed among the top ten selling brands for the month, reinforcing their growing influence on pricing and competitive model offerings.
Top brands and best-selling models
Toyota held its position as the leading brand, selling 19,726 vehicles in October. Ford followed with 7,570 sales, then Mazda (7,140), Kia (6,610), and Hyundai (6,403).
The top-selling model was the Toyota HiLux (4,444), closely followed by the Ford Ranger (4,402) and Toyota RAV4 (4,401). The top five models together made up nearly 18 per cent of all vehicles sold.
Mixed results across states and territories
Sales performance varied around the country. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded gains compared with the previous year, while Queensland and Western Australia saw declines.
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