BYD is up to a record third place in March. The Sealion 08 is the #1 recent launch.

The Australian new vehicle market is off -2.6% year-on-year to 108,703 in March on what was a new March record in 2025. The year-to-date tally over Q1 is down -1.8% to 290,598. This month we are starting to see the consequences of the Middle Eastern war and inflated fuel prices. Sales by alimentation show petrol sales sinking -20.8% to 34,694 and diesel down -10.1% to 28,364. Reversely hybrids are up 6.7% to 17,953, BEVs rise 88.9% to 15,839 and a record 14.6% share vs. 7.5% a year ago in March 2025 and PHEVs gain 18.5% to 8,215. BEV share over Q1 stands at 11.8%. Private sales are down -4.8% to 52,176, business fleets off -2.7% to 40,296, rentals up 23.6% to 6,714 and government fleets down -20.9% to 2,234.

SUVs gain 2.5% to 69,258 and 63.7% share vs. 60.6% in March 2025 and 58.9% two years ago but light commercials drop -10.5% to 21,990 and 20.2% share vs. 22% last year and 21% in 2024, passenger cars fall -9.9% to 13,817 and 12.7% share vs. 13.7% in 2025 and heavy commercials gain 5.5% to 3,638 and 3.3% share vs. 3.1% last year. Excluding Tesla and Polestar sales, all states and territories are down this month bar Queensland up 3.9% to 22,812. New South Wales is down -5.9% to 31,513, Victoria down -2.5% to 28,791, Western Australia down -7.3% to 11,202, South Australia down -7.3% to 6,622, Tasmania down -1.7% to 1,744, Australian Capital Territory down -4.7% to 1,579 and Northern Territory off -17.3% to 795. Looking at sales by country of origin, China (+45.1%) cements its newfound dominance with 30,993 sales ahead of Japan (-20.4% to 26,892), Thailand (-7.1% to 20,251), South Korea (-1.8% to 13,055) and Germany (-10.2% to 4,513).

There is a big reshuffle in the brands ranking. Toyota (-19.3%) continues to underperform at 15.2% share. This is still well above twice any other carmaker in the country. Kia (+0.2%) is stable year-on-year but climbs to a record 2nd place, also hit in June 2022 and September 2022. The event of the month is the best-ever third place of BYD (+50%) with 6.6% share and just 103 sales below Kia. This is the first time a Chinese manufacturer enters the monthly Australian podium. Mazda (-10.6%) and Ford (-13.2%) both struggle and are relegated to #4 and #5 respectively. GWM (+29.3%) is back to #7 and ascends to a record volume (5,680) and share (5.2%). For its part Chery (+84.1%) ranks #10 and manages an unbelievable 14th straight month of record volumes at 4,018. Tesla is up 23.2% to #13, Geely up 542.6% to #20 and Zeekr up 533% to #27.

Model-wise, the Ford Ranger (-9.7%) keeps the lead but falls heavily, it is followed like last month by the Toyota Hilux (+2.1%) and Tesla Model Y (+63.4%). The Model Y is now up to #8 year-to-date vs. #10 over the Full Year 2025. Boosted by promotions on the outgoing generation and demo sales of the new model, the Nissan X-Trail (+25.3%) surges 40 spots on February to #4, the nameplate’s new ranking record eclipsing its previous best of #6 reached in September 2018 and February 2024. The Hyundai Kona (+15.2%) is strong at #6 followed by the Chery Tiggo 4 (+80.4%) down three spots on last month to #7 but staying #3 year-to-date. Notice also the BYD Sealion 7 (+243.8%) up to #11. Still handicapped by a lengthy generation changeover, the Toyota RAV4 (-68.5%) ranks #20 both for the month and YTD. The BYD Sealion 8 is the best-selling recent launch at #35 above the Zeekr 7X (#42), Geely Starray (#46) and BYD Atto 2 (#49).

Previous month: Australia March 2026: China becomes #1 source country, Toyota off -27.8% to lowest share in 3 years

One year ago: Australia March 2025: BYD #1 Chinese brand, BEVs down -19.9%

Full March 2026 Top 58 All brands and Top 50 models below.

Australia March 2026 – brands:

PosBrandMar-26%/25Feb2026%/25PosFY251Toyota  16,57415.2%– 19.3%144,49015.3%– 23.0%112Kia  7,3206.7%+ 0.2%420,6307.1%+ 4.5%343BYD7,2176.6%+ 50.0%617,5416.0%+ 100.1%684Mazda  7,1566.6%– 10.6%221,8907.5%– 12.9%235Ford  7,1496.6%– 13.2%320,1726.9%– 5.7%426Hyundai  6,9796.4%+ 2.4%519,1016.6%+ 4.5%557GWM5,6805.2%+ 29.3%814,8785.1%+ 28.5%778Mitsubishi5,0014.6%– 31.2%714,1034.9%– 26.0%869MG4,2183.9%+ 7.4%1210,5953.6%– 7.1%101010Chery4,0183.7%+ 84.1%911,7364.0%+ 93.8%91311Nissan3,7153.4%– 8.9%167,3612.5%– 31.0%131212Isuzu Ute3,5253.2%+ 0.5%109,8383.4%+ 7.9%11913Tesla3,4853.2%+ 23.2%117,2602.5%+ 40.7%141514Subaru  2,6912.5%– 15.9%137,6832.6%– 20.3%121115BMW2,4302.2%– 1.1%176,1862.1%+ 9.9%161716Mercedes2,1532.0%– 14.9%146,4452.2%+ 3.0%151617Volkswagen1,8801.7%– 30.4%155,9052.0%– 18.0%171418Honda  1,5191.4%– 13.9%184,1861.4%– 1.3%181919Suzuki  1,3311.2%– 21.9%203,1931.1%– 28.5%202020Geely1,2081.1%+ 542.6%212,8211.0%+ 1400.5%222721LDV1,1391.0%– 6.3%193,2641.1%– 8.3%192222Lexus1,1261.0%– 13.1%232,8341.0%– 14.6%212123Omoda Jaecoo1,0100.9%new242,5160.9%new243224Audi9320.9%– 24.5%222,6500.9%– 21.9%231825Land Rover9070.8%– 2.6%271,7070.6%– 13.0%272326Volvo7600.7%+ 4.8%261,8060.6%– 5.1%262427Zeekr7090.7%+ 533.0%251,8320.6%+ 768.2%253628Mini5430.5%– 11.1%281,3700.5%– 1.7%282529Skoda4200.4%– 8.5%301,1110.4%+ 1.0%292830Renault3450.3%– 11.1%319820.3%– 15.6%312931Denza3180.3%new326270.2%new365732Porsche3000.3%– 35.9%291,0670.4%– 26.2%302633Chevrolet2960.3%– 17.8%338300.3%– 17.6%323134Ram2680.2%+ 0.8%348110.3%+ 5.6%333335KGM2450.2%– 35.2%356920.2%– 37.9%343036Cupra2270.2%– 45.4%366440.2%– 18.3%353437Fiat2120.2%+ 6.5%414080.1%– 23.3%383738Leapmotor1700.2%+ 95.4%452770.1%+ 100.7%424239Polestar1600.1%– 12.1%374650.2%+ 19.5%373540Genesis1310.1%+ 8.3%383790.1%+ 12.8%393941Foton1090.1%new403280.1%new405142Peugeot1020.1%– 38.9%422520.1%– 32.4%434143JAC820.1%– 29.9%393030.1%– 42.3%414044Deepal630.1%new432330.1%new444545Jeep580.1%– 69.5%441910.1%– 64.8%453846GMC350.0%new461060.0%new464647Alfa Romeo310.0%– 29.5%47960.0%– 19.3%474448Farizon250.0%new53450.0%new50 –49Ferrari200.0%– 39.4%49540.0%– 6.9%494950Aston Martin160.0%– 30.4%51380.0%– 30.9%525051Bentley150.0%+ 25.0%50420.0%+ 31.3%515252Maserati110.0%– 75.6%48540.0%– 38.6%484853Lamborghini60.0%– 78.6%52310.0%– 62.2%534754McLaren30.0%– 66.7%56100.0%– 50.0%555455Lotus20.0%– 60.0% –30.0%– 81.3%575356Citroen20.0%n/a –20.0%– 60.0%585657Rolls-Royce10.0%– 75.0%54140.0%– 26.3%545558Jaguar00.0%– 100.0%5570.0%– 95.4%5643

Australia March 2026 – models:

PosModelMar-26%/25Feb2026%/25PosFY251Ford Ranger4,4524.1%– 9.7%112,1804.2%– 7.9%112Toyota Hilux4,1673.8%+ 2.1%210,5923.6%– 3.7%233Tesla Model Y2,8182.6%+ 63.4%35,8972.0%+ 89.4%8104Nissan X-Trail2,4382.2%+ 25.3%443,7611.3%– 17.5%21195Mitsubishi Outlander2,3182.1%– 22.9%76,3632.2%– 14.9%496Hyundai Kona2,3162.1%+ 15.2%86,1782.1%+ 18.8%677Chery Tiggo 42,2582.1%+ 80.4%46,8072.3%+ 103.9%3118Isuzu D-Max2,1672.0%+ 3.8%66,0572.1%– 2.2%749Hyundai Tucson2,0421.9%+ 11.5%125,4761.9%+ 15.6%121210GWM Haval Jolion2,0131.9%+ 28.4%105,6061.9%+ 34.8%91411BYD Sealion 71,9701.8%+ 243.8%164,4681.5%+ 512.1%152512Mitsubishi Triton1,9221.8%– 1.6%95,6041.9%+ 21.9%101713MG ZS1,8961.7%– 6.1%154,5001.5%– 9.1%141314Mazda CX-51,8591.7%+ 7.2%56,2472.1%+ 12.8%5815Toyota Prado1,8501.7%– 35.6%184,5151.6%– 46.5%13616Ford Everest1,8051.7%– 14.0%115,4961.9%+ 10.2%11517Toyota Corolla Cross1,6871.6%+ 38.3%303,6101.2%+ 12.4%222718GWM Haval H61,6651.5%+ 20.7%213,8441.3%+ 20.1%192619Kia Sportage1,6521.5%– 10.6%134,3221.5%– 22.8%171520Toyota RAV41,3621.3%– 68.5%353,8421.3%– 72.2%20221Isuzu MU-X1,3581.2%– 4.4%173,9611.4%+ 35.7%182022BYD Shark 61,3141.2%– 53.2%253,4801.2%– 28.0%241823Toyota Corolla1,2591.2%– 17.6%144,3901.5%– 6.0%161624Toyota Hiace1,2461.1%– 16.5%193,4131.2%– 6.6%252425Toyota Camry1,1971.1%+ 52.1%203,2251.1%+ 83.4%273626Mazda CX-301,1851.1%+ 32.7%263,2461.1%+ 6.0%262927Subaru Forester1,1641.1%+ 7.5%292,9791.0%– 7.1%312228Mazda CX-31,1611.1%– 4.8%223,4891.2%– 19.6%232129Toyota Land Cruiser Wagon1,1231.0%+ 464.3%322,8571.0%+ 216.0%322830GWM Cannon/Cannon Alpha1,1001.0%+ 115.5%243,1311.1%+ 456.1%294531Mazda BT-509990.9%– 21.8%233,1131.1%– 19.5%302332Kia Carnival9770.9%+ 6.7%313,1611.1%+ 31.6%283033Subaru Crosstrek8850.8%+ 1.3%272,5720.9%– 11.5%343234Kia Seltos8490.8%+ 13.8%362,1320.7%– 2.2%383835BYD Sealion 88360.8%new541,5620.5%newn/a –36Kia K47840.7%+ 70.8%282,7711.0%+ 325.0%335037Suzuki Jimny7510.7%– 6.5%371,9580.7%– 12.0%394838Toyota Yaris Cross7230.7%– 39.3%342,4560.8%– 18.5%353139Honda CR-V7140.7%+ 6.7%421,8500.6%+ 11.5%405940Mazda37020.6%– 22.4%452,1380.7%– 31.1%373541Chery Tiggo 7 Pro6980.6%+ 114.1%332,3230.8%+ 227.2%365842Zeekr 7X6790.6%new391,7250.6%newn/a14643Tesla Model 36670.6%– 39.6%531,3630.5%– 33.4%n/a5144Hyundai i306220.6%– 31.1%381,8420.6%– 29.8%n/a3345Geely EX56060.6%+ 222.3%631,4370.5%+ 664.4%n/a7846Geely Starray6020.6%new551,3840.5%newn/a15447BMW X3/iX35940.5%+ 47.0%851,4400.5%+ 73.1%n/a6648Kia EV55870.5%+ 22.8%871,1480.4%– 1.6%n/a6849BYD Atto 25720.5%new731,4810.5%newn/a16850Mitsubishi Pajero Sport5700.5%+ 10.5%601,5670.5%+ 12.2%n/a55

Source: VFACTS