The BYD Shark 6 is the third best-selling pickup in Australia again.

For the first time this year, the Australian new vehicle market is in positive, delivering a new March record at 111,617 units (+1.8%). Q1 sales are off -2.8% to 295,952. The most interesting set of stats this month is sales by alimentation that show petrol off -8.3% to 43,785, diesel down -1.2% to 31,548, HEVs up 22.8% to 16,830 but BEVs sinking -19.9% to just 8,385 and 7.5% share vs. 9.5% a year ago. This is due in large part to Tesla’s struggles. Finally PHEV units surge 380.1% to 6,932 as customers rush to register their vehicle before the end of the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption for PHEVs on March 31. Private sales edge down -2.5% to 54,806 while business fleets are up 4.7% to 41,404. Rental fleets sink -13.5% to 5,434 and government sales skid -13.9% to 2,826.

SUV sales continue to surge at +26.3% to 67,586 and 60.6% share vs. 58.9% last year and 55% two years ago, with Light Commercials up 6.5% to 24,560 and 22% share vs. 21% in March 2024 and 22.6% the year prior. Passenger Cars freefall again at -12.9% to 15,335 and 13.7% share vs. 16.1% last year and 17.7% two years ago. Heavy commercial vehicles are down -20.6% to 3,448 and 3.1% share. All states and territories are in positive this month except from Queensland (-4.8% to 22,417). Western Australia leads the charge at +13.6% to 12,577 sales, followed by Tasmania +12.2% to 1,806, the Australian Capital Territory (+10.7% to 1,753) and South Australia (+4.5% to 7,304) and Northern Territory (+3.8% to 965). Volume leaders New South Wales (+1.7% to 34,367) and Victoria (+1.1% to 30,428) are more discreet. Looking at sales by country of origin, Japan is up 1% to 33,916, Thailand down -10% to 21,803 followed closely by China up 21% to 21,358. South Korea is off -3.4% to 13,288 and Germany up 12.6% to 5,424.

The Ford Ranger is back to the #1 overall ranking for the first time since last June.

In the brands charts, Toyota (+8.3%) is very solid year-on-year but its March share (18.4%) is below its YTD level (19.5%. Ford (-6.2%) reclaims the 2nd spot it held over the Full Year 2024 despite a significant loss. Mazda (-3%) and Kia (+3.4%) are relegated to #3 and #4 respectively ahead of Mitsubishi (-7.6%) in difficulty. Hyundai (+13.8%) rallies back up but is stuck in 6th place. The performer of the month is without a doubt BYD (+196.6%) tripling its sales year-on-year and breaking into the Top 10 for the first time directly at #7. BYD is therefore the best-selling Chinese brand in Australia for the first time. GWM (+21.4%) also impresses at #8, breaking its volume record at 4,393. MG (-0.6%) is down to #10. Chery (+293.2%) continues to gear up spectacularly. In contrast Tesla (-53%) is decimated. We welcome Geely at #35. Not reporting sales are Deepal, Ineos, Mahindra, Smart and Xpeng.

Model-wise, the Ford Ranger (-12.9%) is back to the top spot for the first time since last June and despite a steep year-on-year fall. The Toyota RAV4 (-14.8%) is dethroned but holds onto the YTD top spot for now (and for just 576 sales). The Toyota Hilux (+2.2%) remains in third place ahead of the Mitsubishi Outlander (+8.7%) at a record #4 also hit in June 2024. The Toyota Prado (+543.7%) rounds out the Top 5 with a stellar year-on-year lift due to the new model. The BYD Shark 6 spectacularly repeats at #6 with a record 2.5% share, proving that last month’s result was not a fluke. However sales have definitely been boosted by the upcoming end of the tax exemption on PHEVs. 

Previous month: Australia February 2025: BYD Shark 6 lands with a bang

One year ago: Australia March 2024: Ford up to #2 brand, Everest breaks ranking record

Full March 2025 Top 52 All brands and Top 40 models below.

Australia March 2025 – brands:

PosBrandMar-25%/24Feb2025%/24PosFY241Toyota  20,54118.4%+ 8.3%157,79719.5%+ 2.8%112Ford  8,2327.4%– 6.2%421,3997.2%– 5.6%323Mazda  8,0007.2%– 3.0%225,1198.5%+ 5.7%234Kia  7,3076.5%+ 3.4%319,7346.7%+ 4.3%445Mitsubishi7,2656.5%– 7.6%519,0656.4%– 5.6%556Hyundai  6,8136.1%+ 13.8%618,2866.2%+ 2.4%667BYD4,8114.3%+ 196.6%118,7673.0%+ 95.6%12178GWM4,3933.9%+ 21.4%711,5793.9%+ 13.5%7109Nissan  4,0793.7%– 18.0%910,6733.6%– 25.3%9910MG3,9263.5%– 0.6%811,4053.9%– 8.2%8711Isuzu Ute3,5083.1%– 19.4%129,1153.1%– 28.8%11812Subaru  3,2012.9%– 15.0%109,6363.3%– 9.4%101113Tesla2,8292.5%– 53.0%175,1601.7%– 59.7%171214Volkswagen2,7012.4%– 10.7%137,1992.4%– 19.2%131315Mercedes2,5312.3%+ 33.0%156,2572.1%+ 27.4%141516BMW2,4562.2%– 3.0%165,6281.9%– 3.7%161417Chery2,1822.0%+ 293.2%146,0572.0%+ 216.6%152218Honda  1,7641.6%+ 8.4%194,2421.4%– 9.4%192019Suzuki  1,7051.5%– 15.7%184,4641.5%– 15.6%181620Lexus1,2951.2%+ 17.1%223,3181.1%+ 11.0%222121Audi1,2341.1%– 4.3%213,3921.1%– 3.6%211922LDV1,2151.1%– 9.7%203,5611.2%– 21.7%201823Land Rover9310.8%+ 34.3%231,9630.7%+ 13.1%232424Volvo7250.6%+ 13.1%241,9040.6%+ 0.8%242325Mini6110.5%+ 90.9%261,3940.5%+ 69.4%263026Porsche4680.4%– 27.7%251,4460.5%– 22.3%252527Skoda4590.4%– 14.2%301,1000.4%– 29.2%292828Cupra4160.4%+ 95.3%347880.3%+ 36.1%313329Renault3880.3%– 27.2%281,1630.4%– 20.2%272630KGM Ssangyong3780.3%– 20.9%271,1140.4%– 18.6%282731Chevrolet3600.3%+ 12.5%291,0070.3%+ 12.8%302932Ram2660.2%– 29.1%317680.3%– 26.2%323133Fiat1990.2%+ 111.7%355320.2%+ 58.3%343434Jeep  1900.2%– 19.1%325430.2%– 25.6%333235Geely1880.2%new –1880.1%new40 –36Polestar1820.2%+ 116.7%363890.1%+ 11.8%363637Peugeot1670.1%+ 18.4%383730.1%– 24.5%373538Genesis1210.1%– 6.9%373360.1%+ 0.3%383739JAC1170.1%new335250.2%new35 –40Zeekr1120.1%new392110.1%new39 –41Leapmotor870.1%new431380.0%new424842Jaguar650.1%– 28.6%401510.1%– 23.4%413843Maserati450.0%+ 4.7%46880.0%– 12.9%444044Alfa Romeo440.0%– 12.0%411190.0%– 42.8%433945Ferrari330.0%+ 22.2%45580.0%+ 7.4%464246Lamborghini280.0%+ 47.4%42820.0%+ 78.3%454147Aston Martin230.0%– 4.2%44550.0%+ 34.1%474548Bentley120.0%– 25.0%47320.0%– 30.4%484349McLaren90.0%+ 80.0%49200.0%+ 100.0%494750Lotus50.0%– 84.8%50160.0%– 72.9%514451Rolls-Royce40.0%+ 100.0%48190.0%+ 111.1%504952Citroen00.0%– 100.0%5150.0%– 82.8%5246

Australia March 2025 – models:

PosModelMar-25%/23Feb2025%/24PosFY241Ford Ranger4,9324.4%– 12.9%213,2264.5%– 16.1%212Toyota RAV44,3213.9%– 14.8%113,8024.7%+ 36.3%123Toyota Hilux4,0813.7%+ 2.2%310,9993.7%– 11.9%334Mitsubishi Outlander3,0052.7%+ 8.7%57,4802.5%+ 6.1%555Toyota Prado2,8712.6%+ 543.7%48,4412.9%+ 163.0%4376BYD Shark 62,8102.5%new64,8361.6%new12 –7Ford Everest2,1001.9%– 7.2%204,9861.7%+ 10.8%1068Isuzu D-Max2,0881.9%– 15.3%76,1962.1%– 22.0%649MG ZS2,0201.8%– 1.3%114,9521.7%– 21.3%11910Hyundai Kona2,0111.8%+ 25.1%105,2011.8%+ 30.1%91711Mitsubishi Triton1,9541.8%+ 0.0%164,5971.6%– 5.7%151412Nissan X-Trail1,9451.7%– 10.0%144,5611.5%– 18.5%161613Kia Sportage1,8471.7%– 12.6%95,6001.9%+ 9.2%71014Hyundai Tucson1,8311.6%+ 22.7%154,7361.6%+ 1.1%131215Mazda CX-51,7341.6%– 18.7%85,5381.9%+ 0.8%8816Tesla Model Y1,7251.5%– 60.6%313,1141.1%– 54.4%261117GWM Haval Jolion1,5681.4%+ 30.3%184,1601.4%+ 20.2%182418Toyota Corolla1,5271.4%– 24.7%124,6711.6%– 27.1%14719Isuzu MU-X1,4201.3%– 24.7%412,9191.0%– 39.9%311520GWM Haval H61,3801.2%+ 63.7%253,2011.1%+ 45.3%254121Mazda BT-501,2771.1%– 8.1%173,8681.3%– 1.9%192222Chery Tiggo 4 Pro1,2521.1%new283,3381.1%new2111623Mazda CX-31,2201.1%– 16.8%134,3371.5%+ 2.7%171324Toyota Corolla Cross1,2201.1%+ 56.6%273,2111.1%+ 33.0%234225Toyota Yaris Cross1,1911.1%+ 169.5%303,0151.0%+ 61.4%304626Tesla Model 31,1041.0%– 32.6%442,0460.7%– 65.6%n/a1827Subaru Forester1,0831.0%– 17.7%223,2081.1%– 10.5%242528Toyota Hiace1,0520.9%+ 15.2%193,2121.1%+ 8.0%222329Mitsubishi ASX1,0010.9%– 9.2%233,4391.2%+ 10.6%202930Kia Sorento9770.9%+ 2.3%322,4830.8%– 2.7%343831Kia Carnival9160.8%+ 54.7%332,4020.8%+ 40.7%353432Mazda39050.8%– 1.8%213,1041.0%+ 14.3%273233Hyundai i309030.8%– 11.6%352,6240.9%– 36.3%332634Mazda CX-308930.8%– 5.7%263,0611.0%+ 4.4%292735Subaru Outback8850.8%– 4.7%382,3000.8%– 10.0%383336Subaru Crosstrek8740.8%– 16.7%242,9051.0%– 6.7%323137MG 38640.8%– 11.7%293,0811.0%+ 6.6%282838Toyota Land Cruiser PU/CC8430.8%– 10.3%402,3040.8%– 26.5%373039Nissan Navara8400.8%– 23.7%372,3640.8%– 23.2%363540Kia Picanto8150.7%+ 56.4%541,9150.6%+ 99.7%n/a61

Source: VFACTS, EVC