VFACTS January: Steady overall sales to start 2026
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The Australian automotive industry has started 2026 on a positive note with 87,753 new vehicles being registered in January, up a narrow 0.1 per cent on the same month last year. The tiny margin was due primarily to a drop in Toyota RAV4 and, to a lesser extent, Toyota HiLux deliveries as the key models undergo generational changeovers
Where the RAV4 faltered, the Ford Ranger picked up exactly where it left off and topped the tables with 3403 new deliveries compared to Toyota HiLux’s 2800 and Mazda CX-5’s 2289.
An increasingly big thorn in the side of legacy models, the Chery Tiggo 4 took fourth place last month with 2234 examples landing on local driveways: almost 260 more than the Mitsubishi Outlander in fifth.
The top 10 was rounded out by the Ford Everest (1913), Hyundai Kona (1839), Isuzu D-MAX 1798), GWM Haval Jolion (1789) and aforementioned Toyota RAV4 (1757).
But while the RAV4 floundered in the leadup to the next-generation SUV’s arrival, Toyota comfortably continued its multi-decade run as Australia’s most popular brand with 14,310 sales last month; not far off double Mazda’s effort in second (7692).
Kia made a surprise appearance in third (6600), comfortably pushing Ford down to fourth (6116) and easily getting the better of sister brand Hyundai in fifth spot (5856).
BYD, GWM, Mitsubishi, Chery and MG occupied positions six-through-10, making China the best-represented country of origin in the top 10 with four brands. Japan was next with three, followed by Korea (two).
EVs sales were up some 93 per cent year-on-year despite Tesla having a shocker of a month with just 501 new deliveries – most of the growth can be attributed to BYD which shifted 2779 EVs on its own.
Hybrid sales increased a far more modest two per cent while petrol and diesel sales fell 14.7 and 3.7 per cent respectively.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) continued their rampant sales growth spirt – up 170.5 per cent on January 2025 – to account for nearly six per cent of the overall market; EVs account for just over eight per cent.
There’s little doubt hybrid sales will strengthen in the coming months once the new-generation Toyota RAV4 lands in showrooms, simultaneously tightening Toyota’s unshakable grasp on the market and providing a new headache for the Ford Ranger.
PHEV sales will also be given a boost seeing as the sixth-generation RAV4 range will include three plug-in variants.
Best-selling models of January 2026
1. Ford Ranger – 3403
2. Toyota HiLux – 2800
3. Mazda CX-5 – 2289
4. Chery Tiggo 4 – 2234
5. Mitsubishi Outlander – 1975
6. Ford Everest – 1913
7. Hyundai Kona – 1839
8. Isuzu D-Max – 1798
9. GWM Haval Jolion – 1789
10. Toyota RAV4 – 1757
Best-selling brands of January 2026
1. Toyota – 14,310
2. Mazda – 7692
3. Kia – 6600
4. Ford – 6116
5. Hyundai – 5856
6. BYD – 5001
7. GWM – 4509
8. Mitsubishi – 4347
9. Chery – 3780
10. MG – 3123
* Data sourced from VFACTS
A modified version of this article originally appeared on carsales.com.au
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