THE Australian new-car market continued its steady recovery in October 2025, with 100,658 vehicles sold, marking a 0.7 per cent increase over the same month last year.
This brings the year-to-date total to 1,039,618 units, slightly ahead of the 1,035,914 vehicles sold in 2024, signaling that the market could potentially achieve a new record if the momentum continues through November and December.
Toyota remained the dominant force in the market, topping the brand charts with 19,726 sales, up 6.8 per cent from October 2024. Ford held second place with 7570 units, despite an 11.8 per cent drop, while Mazda rounded out the podium with 7140 vehicles sold, down 6.7 per cent. Kia and Hyundai showed modest growth, while traditional Japanese rivals like Mitsubishi saw a significant decline of 15.7 per cent.
Chinese brands are increasingly making their mark, with GWM, BYD, MG, and Chery all breaking into the Top 10 brands.
Chinese-made vehicles now account for 20.5 per cent of October sales, closing in on Thailand (20.9 per cent) and Japan (27.8 per cent) as key sources for new cars in Australia. This reflects the growing consumer confidence in Chinese automotive technology and affordability.
The battle for the best-selling model was extremely tight. The Toyota HiLux maintained its lead, narrowly edging out the Ford Ranger and Toyota RAV4.
This marks the HiLux’s second consecutive month at the top after reclaiming the lead in September. The Ford Everest came fourth, outperforming Toyota Prado and Isuzu MU-X rivals, while the Hyundai Kona continued its surge in the small SUV segment, up 25.6 per cent year-on-year.
Electric vehicles (EVs) now make up 7.4 per cent of sales, still behind traditional hybrids at 17.8 per cent but ahead of plug-in hybrids, which grew 137.4 per cent year-on-year.
Tesla sales in October were mixed: while the Model Y surged 74.1 per cent year-on-year, the Model 3 suffered an 82.6 per cent decline, highlighting the volatility in EV demand and the impact of inventory cycles.
Industry experts highlight that October’s results indicate a healthy mix of traditional and emerging automotive trends.
With ongoing consumer interest in hybrid and electric technologies, and new model launches expected in the coming months, 2025 could mark a turning point in the evolution of Australia’s car market.
