VFACTS October: Hybrids hustle as Toyota HiLux reigns (just)
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Plugless and plug-in hybrids have continued their surge in popularity, accounting for a combined 22.5 per cent of all FCAI-affiliated new-vehicle sales last month as the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Toyota RAV4 slugged it out for top spot.
After an especially strong September, the Australian new-car market stabilised somewhat last month to be up just 1.2 per cent on October 2024, but it was the rampant hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales growth that’s raised eyebrows.
Month-on-month, hybrid sales were up more than 25 per cent in October (totalling 17,751) while PHEV sales surged 95 per cent (to 4724), though that’s nothing compared to the latter’s 137.5 per cent year-on-year growth – hybrids are up 12 per cent so far this year ending October.
Some 161,426 hybrids have been sold this year with two months of trading left – thanks massively to the Toyota RAV4’s unwavering popularity – while 42,797 PHEVs have landed on local driveways.
The mighty RAV finished October in third place (again) with 4401 sales; just a single unit off the Ford Ranger in second place (4402), which in turn was only 42 units off the best-selling Toyota HiLux (4444).
Rounding out the top five were the Ford Everest (2435) and Hyundai Kona (2057), behind which came the Chery Tiggo 4 (1975), Isuzu D-MAX (1896), Mazda CX-5 (1813), Mitsubishi Triton (1770) and MG ZS (1743).
Trendspotters will likely note not one passenger vehicle made it into the top 10 last month, a stark reminder of the plummeting demand (-21.1% MoM, -23.8% YtD) for traditional hatches, sedans, wagons and coupes – neither the Toyota Corolla nor the Hyundai i30 was anywhere near the top 10.
Where are all these buyers going? SUVs.
High-riding family cars accounted for 61.7 per cent of all sales last month, with medium SUVs like the RAV4, CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson proving the most popular… even without counting the rampant Tesla Model Y.
For comparison’s sake, passenger vehicles made up just over 12 per cent of sales
With an ever-increasing array of new makes and models coming to market, especially in the electrified sectors, the overall market is now just 1.1 per cent where it was this time last year.
Hybrids and PHEVs are expected to continue increasing in popularity, passenger vehicles will almost certainly keep tailing off as they’re replaced by SUVs of all sizes and shapes.
Keep an eye on our news section for a similar breakdown of October’s EV sales in the coming days.
Best-selling models of October 2025
Best-selling brands of September 2025
* Data sourced from VFACTS
A modified version of this article originally appeared on carsales.com.au
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