VFACTS December 2025: Strong Finish for Another Record Year of New Vehicle Sales in Australia
Australia’s new vehicle market capped off 2025 with a record-breaking annual total of 1,241,037 sales, marking a modest 0.3% increase over 2024’s previous high of 1,237,287. This achievement came despite economic pressures, with December delivering a strong 101,513 vehicles—up 1.9% from December 2024 and the second-highest December on record. The growth was driven by a 10.6% surge in business sales, offsetting declines in rental (-15.5%) and government (-3.7%) sectors, while private sales rose 1.6%. FCAI CEO Tony Weber noted the market’s resilience, highlighting consumer demand and the evolution of vehicle choices, particularly in electrified options.
Key December and Annual Highlights
- SUV Dominance: SUVs captured 62.7% of the market (63,651 units in December), up from 57% in 2024, reflecting ongoing preferences for versatile vehicles.
- Light Commercials: 21.1% share (21,449 units in December).
- Passenger Cars: Continued decline to 12.5% (12,681 units in December, down 19.7% in small cars segment).
- Heavy Commercials: 3.7% (3,732 units).
- Regional variations showed growth in New South Wales (+6.0%), Western Australia (+2.9%), and others, but slight dips in Victoria (-1.0%) and Queensland (-0.8%).
Top-Selling Brands (December 2025)
Toyota maintained its 23-year streak as market leader, though with minimal changes. Chinese brands like BYD showed explosive growth.
| Rank | Brand | December Sales | YoY Change | Annual Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 18,541 | -0.6% | 239,863 annual (down 0.6%, 19.3% market share) |
| 2 | Ford | 8,541 | +2.8% | 94,399 annual (down 5.8%) |
| 3 | Mazda | 7,562 | +4.2% | 91,923 annual (down 4.2%) |
| 4 | BYD | 6,743 | +238.3% | Eighth overall for year |
| 5 | Kia | 6,101 | -3.2% | – |
| 6 | Hyundai | 5,640 | +12.2% | – |
| 7 | GWM | 4,875 | +19.7% | – |
| 8 | Mitsubishi | 4,420 | -23.2% | – |
| 9 | Chery | 3,694 | +96.0% | – |
| 10 | Isuzu Ute | 3,462 | -2.7% | – |
Top-Selling Models (December 2025)
Utes and SUVs dominated, with the Ford Ranger securing the annual crown despite a dip.
| Rank | Model | December Sales | YoY Change | Annual Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota RAV4 | 6,038 | +18.0% | – |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 5,430 | – | Best-seller for year |
| 3 | Toyota HiLux | 2,622 | – | – |
| 4 | BYD Sealion 7 | 2,546 | New | Strong debut |
| 5 | BYD Shark 6 (PHEV) | 1,675 | New | Nearly topped Mitsubishi Triton annually (18,073 vs. 18,900) |
| 6 | Ford Everest | 2,149 | -13.2% | – |
| 7 | GWM Haval Jolion | 2,062 | – | Top small SUV in Dec |
| 8 | Hyundai Kona | 1,733 | – | Top small SUV annually (22,769) |
| 9 | Toyota Corolla | 1,568 | – | Only passenger car in top 20 |
Electrified Vehicle Sales
Electrified vehicles were a bright spot, with PHEVs showing the fastest growth.
- Hybrids: 18,755 in December (+29.7% YoY); nearly 200,000 annually.
- Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs): 5,919 in December (+133.8% YoY); 53,484 annually (+130.9%).
- Battery Electric Vehicles (EVs): 10,384 in December (+24.6% YoY); 103,269 annually (8.3% market share, up from 7.4%). BYD led December EV sales with 4,113 units, ahead of Tesla (2,585). Top EVs: BYD Sealion 7 (2,546), Tesla Model Y (1,998), Tesla Model 3 (587).
FCAI emphasized hybrids and PHEVs as practical transitions to lower emissions, noting slower EV growth (up 1.1 percentage points over two years) due to infrastructure needs. While no major X discussions were found, the data signals continued momentum into 2026, potentially influencing global markets like India with rising EV adoption.
