Australians purchased 100,539 new vehicles in August 2025, marking the second strongest August result on record and highlighting the rapid rise of Chinese automotive brands.
For the first time, four Chinese brands — BYD, GWM, MG and Chery — secured positions in the national top ten. Chinese-made vehicles totalled 20,070 sales in August, representing a 67% increase compared to August 2024.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said the figures showed how quickly the industry and consumers are adapting to new options. “The presence of four Chinese brands in the top ten illustrates the continuing evolution of the automotive landscape in Australia. Consumers have an extraordinary range of vehicles to choose from – more than 400 models, including around 100 EVs,” Weber said.
SUVs maintain market dominance
Sport utility vehicles continued their market dominance with 60,495 sales in August, representing 60% of total sales. The SUV segment recorded a 7% increase compared to August 2024, while passenger cars comprised just 13.1% of sales and recorded a 25% year-to-date decline.
Electric vehicles represented 6.8% of VFACTS-recorded sales in August, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 3.9%.
Despite the strong August result, year-to-date sales of 812,447 vehicles represent a modest 2.1% decline compared to the same period in 2024 when 830,226 vehicles were sold.
Road user charge proposal
Ahead of the Council of Treasurers meeting, Weber called for a federally led road user charge as part of broader tax reform in the automotive sector.
“FCAI has long been a supporter of a nationally consistent road user charge that ultimately can be applied to all types of vehicles, not just EVs. As the number of electrified vehicles increases, governments must support a smooth transition away from fuel excise. A road user charge is needed to provide an enduring revenue stream to support road and recharging infrastructure,” Weber said.
Brand and model performance
Toyota maintained its market leadership with 20,791 sales in August, followed by Ford (8002), Kia (7402), Mazda (6814) and Hyundai (6322). Toyota’s margin over second-placed Ford reached 12,789 vehicle sales and 12.7 market share points.
The Ford Ranger claimed the top-selling vehicle position with 4942 sales, despite a 9% decline from August 2024. The Toyota HiLux followed with 4823 sales, up 7.3% year-on-year, while the Toyota RAV4 recorded 4115 sales but suffered a significant 38.7% decline.
Notable model performance included the MG ZS with 2680 sales, representing a 70.1% increase, and the Toyota Prado with 2033 sales compared to just three units in August 2024.
State performance mixed
Sales performance varied across states and territories. The Australian Capital Territory recorded the strongest growth at 20.7% to 1615 sales, while Victoria rose 3.8% to 27,036 and Queensland increased 2.8% to 21,907.
New South Wales, the largest market, grew 2.4% to 30,536 sales, while Western Australia recorded modest growth of 1.6% to 10,647. South Australia fell 6% to 6404 sales, Northern Territory dropped 7.8% to 840, and Tasmania decreased 3.1% to 1554.
The August 2025 market featured 27 selling days compared to 26 in August 2024, resulting in an increase of 225.1 vehicle sales per day.
| Rank | Trend | Marque | YTD volume (Aug-25) | YTD share (Aug-25) | YTD volume (Aug-24) | YTD share (Aug-24) | Month volume (Aug-25) | Month share (Aug-25) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ▼ | Toyota | 163,491 | 20.1% | 165,496 | 19.9% | 20,791 | 20.7% |
| 2 | ▲ | Mazda | 63,208 | 7.8% | 65,286 | 7.9% | 6,814 | 6.8% |
| 3 | ▼ | Ford | 62,581 | 7.7% | 66,261 | 8.0% | 8,002 | 8.0% |
| 4 | ▼ | Kia | 55,554 | 6.8% | 54,823 | 6.6% | 7,402 | 7.4% |
| 5 | ▲ | Hyundai | 51,957 | 6.4% | 48,314 | 5.8% | 6,322 | 6.3% |
| 6 | ▼ | Mitsubishi | 42,913 | 5.3% | 50,868 | 6.1% | 4,551 | 4.5% |
| 7 | ▲ | GWM | 34,398 | 4.2% | 27,991 | 3.4% | 4,488 | 4.5% |
| 8 | ▲ | BYD | 32,839 | 4.0% | 13,355 | 1.6% | 4,877 | 4.9% |
| 9 | ▼ | Isuzu Ute | 29,092 | 3.6% | 33,648 | 4.1% | 3,223 | 3.2% |
| 10 | ▼ | MG | 28,609 | 3.5% | 32,255 | 3.9% | 3,927 | 3.9% |
| State/Territory | Aug-25 | Aug-24 | % diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 1,615 | 1,338 | 20.7% |
| New South Wales | 30,536 | 29,831 | 2.4% |
| Northern Territory | 840 | 911 | -7.8% |
| Queensland | 21,907 | 21,310 | 2.8% |
| South Australia | 6,404 | 6,813 | -6.0% |
| Tasmania | 1,554 | 1,604 | -3.1% |
| Victoria | 27,036 | 26,039 | 3.8% |
| Western Australia | 10,647 | 10,482 | 1.6% |
| Total | 100,539 | 98,328 | 2.2% |
| Rank | Vehicle | Aug-25 | Aug-24 | % diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Ranger | 4942 | 5431 | -9.0% |
| 2 | Toyota HiLux | 4823 | 4496 | 7.3% |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 | 4115 | 6712 | -38.7% |
| 4 | MG ZS | 2680 | 1576 | 70.1% |
| 5 | Isuzu Ute D-Max | 2314 | 2548 | -9.2% |
| 6 | Ford Everest | 2203 | 2273 | -3.1% |
| 7 | Toyota Landcruiser | 2117 | 2504 | -15.5% |
| 8 | Toyota Prado | 2033 | 3 | 67666.7% |
| 9 | Hyundai Kona | 1983 | 1674 | 18.5% |
| 10 | Toyota Corolla | 1823 | 1855 | -1.7% |
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