Australian new car sales: Winners and losers so far in 2023

The Australian new vehicle market has rebounded over the first half of 2023, showing 8.2 per cent growth over the same period in 2022. It’s the strongest H1 result since 2018.

Some of the interesting developments, as the tables below will show, include:

• Number-one brand Toyota down 24 per cent in volume due to poor supply, causing its market share to tumble to 15.9 share points – well below its 20 share point benchmark.
• Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger remain the top two models, with the Isuzu D-Max in fourth. Number three vehicle YTD is the Tesla Model Y.
• Western Australia and Queensland are the two fastest-growing regions on a percentage basis.
• More than 43,000 electric vehicles sold, for a record 7.4 per cent market share. It was just 1.8 per cent at this point last year!
• EVs outsold hybrids (38,313), largely due to Toyota’s lack of supply on RAV4, Camry and others.
• Chinese cars up 93.1 per cent to 95,852 units, led by the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, plus domestic brands MG, GWM, LDV and BYD.

First half of each year sales:

• H1 of 2023: 581,759 units
• H1 of 2022: 537,858 units
• H1 of 2021: 567,468 units
• H1 of 2020: 442,415 units
• H1 of 2019: 554,466 units
• H1 of 2018: 605,522 units
• H1 of 2017: 599,552 units
• H1 of 2016: 598,140 units
• H1 of 2015: 578,427 units
• H1 of 2014: 559,950 units

Brands

Toyota is well ahead of Mazda in first but will need to get a wriggle on over the second half it it wants to pass 200,000 units – as its internal targets demand.

Kia (third) remains ahead of big brother Hyundai (fifth), with Ford sitting in between.

Mitsubishi is battling to get supply and its core Triton is nearing replacement, so its 26 per cent decline makes some sense. But still a poor result.

MG and Tesla demonstrate the changing dynamic, both making the top 10, ahead of Subaru and Volkswagen. GWM (including Haval) is getting closer…

VW, benefitting from better European supply than in previous years, is managing to grow its sales by 61 per cent from a low base.

There are some new entrants that have joined the market since this point in 2022, including BYD, Chery and Cupra.

List of sales by brand over H1 of 2023:

Models

The list of top 25-selling models looks different this year, although the top two (HiLux and Ranger) are familiar leaders.

The Tesla Model Y (third) and Model 3 (eighth) both top their segments regardless of fuel type, the Isuzu MU-X is the new top-selling large SUV (ahead of the Toyota Prado), the new BYD Atto 3 EV already sits in 22nd place, and the Kia Carnival pushed the Mazda 3 outside the top 25.

1. Toyota HiLux: 28,093
2. Ford Ranger: 26,741
3. Tesla Model Y: 14,002
4. MG ZS: 13,579
5. Toyota RAV4: 13,523
6. Isuzu D-Max: 13,243
7. Mazda CX-5: 11,607
8. Tesla Model 3: 11,575
9. Mitsubishi Outlander: 11,342
10. Hyundai i30: 11,214
11. Hyundai Tucson: 10,749
12. Mazda BT-50: 9605
13. Mitsubishi Triton: 8725
14. MG 3: 8449
15. Subaru Forester: 8321
16. Mazda CX-3: 8030
17. Toyota Corolla: 7206
18. Isuzu MU-X: 7114
19. Toyota Prado: 7044
20. Kia Sportage: 6584
21. Toyota Landcruiser Wagon: 6541
22. BYD Atto 3: 6196
23. Mazda CX-30: 6098
24. Subaru Outback: 6056
25. Kia Carnival: 5745

Leaders in key markets

• Light Cars: MG 3 (8449), Suzuki Swift (3308), Kia Picanto (3271)
• Small Cars: Hyundai i30 (11,214), Toyota Corolla (7206), Mazda 3 (4842)
• Medium cars: Tesla Model 3 (11,575), Toyota Camry (3658), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (1840)
• Sports cars: Ford Mustang (1232), Subaru BRZ (838), BMW 2 Series (485)
• Light SUVs: Mazda CX-3 (8030), Kia Stonic (3953), Hyundai Venue (3266)
• Small SUVs: MG ZS (13,579), Mazda CX-30 (6098), Haval Jolion (5523)
• Medium SUVs: Tesla Model Y (14,002), Toyota RAV4 (13,523), Mazda CX-5 (11,607)
• Large SUVs: Isuzu MU-X (7114), Toyota Prado (7004), Subaru Outback (6056)
• 4×4 Utes: Ford Ranger (23,620), Toyota HiLux (21,808), Isuzu D-Max (10,787)

Miscellaneous YTD

Sales by region

• New South Wales: 177,889, up 4.7 per cent
• Victoria: 153,714, up 8.3 per cent
• Queensland: 127,960, up 11.3 per cent
• Western Australia: 60,924, up 14.8 per cent
• South Australia: 37,676, up 7.2 per cent
• Tasmania: 9,435, down 0.5 per cent
• Australian Capital Territory: 9,054, up 11.2 per cent
• Northern Territory: 5,107, down 1.7 per cent

Category breakdown

• SUV: 55.4 per cent share
• Light commercials: 22.2 per cent share
• Passenger cars: 17.9 per cent share
• Heavy commercials: 4.6 per cent share

Top segments by market share

• Medium SUV: 22.4 per cent share
• 4×4 Utes: 16.3 per cent share
• Small SUV: 13.7 per cent share
• Large SUV: 12.5 per cent share
• Small Car: 6.3 per cent share

Sales by buyer type

• Private buyers: 303,519, up 4.8 per cent
• Business fleets: 204,998, up 13.3 per cent
• Rental fleets: 31,421, up 2.1 per cent
• Government fleets: 15,227, up 6.6 per cent

Sales by propulsion or fuel type

• Petrol: 294,289, up 6.6 per cent
• Diesel: 175,939, down 5.3 per cent
• Electric: 43,092, up 345.2 per cent
• Hybrid: 38,313, down 6.7 per cent
• PHEV: 3532, up 20.1 per cent
• HydrogenFCEV: 0

Sales by country of origin

• Japan: 154,647, down 10.3 per cent
• Thailand: 122,300, down 2.7 per cent
• China: 95,852, up 93.1 per cent
• Korea: 82,998, up 2.3 per cent
• Germany: 26,055, up 28.0 per cent

Some previous monthly reports

• June 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• May 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• April 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• March 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• Feb 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• Jan 2023 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)
• Full year 2022 Australian new vehicle sales (VFACTS)

Got any questions about car sales? Ask away in the comments and we’ll jump in!