Tag Archives: Australia

News

Australia’s New-Car Market Has Changed Forever—and the Numbers Prove It

Fifteen years ago, Australia’s new-car sales charts read like a sedan hall of fame. Holden Commodores, Ford Falcons, Toyota Corollas, and Camrys ruled driveways and company fleets alike. Today, that world is gone. In its place stands a new automotive order—one dominated not by low-slung four-doors but by tall-riding SUVs, dual-cab pickups, and a growing wave of electrified newcomers.

At the top of the heap once again is the Ford Ranger. With 56,555 units sold last year, Ford’s midsize pickup claimed Australia’s best-selling vehicle crown for the third consecutive year. That achievement puts the Ranger in rarefied Blue Oval company. According to Drive, it’s the first Ford in 37 years to lead the national sales charts three years running, surpassing the Falcon’s 21st-century tally and cementing its place as one of only two Ford nameplates ever to dominate Australia’s market for that long.

Toyota, predictably, wasn’t far behind. The RAV4 secured second place with 51,947 sales, while the Hilux followed closely at 51,297. Both figures represent year-over-year declines—down 11.5 percent and 4.1 percent respectively—but neither suggests weakening relevance. Instead, Toyota appears to be in a holding pattern, with next-generation versions of both models waiting in the wings. If history is any guide, the Ranger won’t enjoy uncontested dominance for long.

The rest of the top 10 reinforces a clear message: Australians want vehicles that look ready for work, adventure, or both. The Isuzu D-Max finished fourth with 26,839 units, followed closely by the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado—two ladder-frame SUVs that blur the line between family transport and off-road tool. Crossovers like the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-5, and Mitsubishi Outlander remain popular, while the Tesla Model Y holds onto its place as the country’s best-selling EV.

Despite softening demand for several top sellers, the overall market didn’t flinch. Total new-vehicle sales reached a record 1.241 million units, edging up 0.3 percent year over year. Much of that growth came from an influx of new models from China, many of them electrified—and increasingly competitive.

Electric vehicle sales climbed again, with Australians buying 103,270 EVs in 2025, a 13.1 percent increase over the previous year. But the real headline belongs to BYD. The Chinese brand posted a staggering 156.2 percent sales jump, delivering 52,415 vehicles and landing just shy of GWM, which sold 52,809. At this pace, BYD looks poised to become Australia’s top-selling Chinese automaker sooner rather than later. MG, meanwhile, felt the squeeze, with sales falling 18.4 percent.

Electrification isn’t limited to full EVs. Traditional hybrid sales rose 15.3 percent to nearly 200,000 units, while plug-in hybrids surged an eye-opening 130.9 percent to more than 53,000. Australians may still love big utes and SUVs—but increasingly, they want them with a battery on board.

At the brand level, Toyota remains untouchable, moving nearly 240,000 vehicles despite a slight dip. Ford, Mazda, Kia, and Hyundai round out the top five, while Chinese brands continue their steady climb into the mainstream.

The takeaway is unmistakable. The sedan era is over, and Australia isn’t looking back. Pickups rule, SUVs reign, and electrification is no longer a fringe movement—it’s baked into the market’s future. The only question now isn’t if the landscape will keep changing, but how fast.

News

Toyota’s GR Yaris Ad Pulled in Australia After Safety Ruling

Toyota has once again found itself on the wrong side of Australian advertising regulators, this time over a television commercial promoting its rally-bred GR Yaris hot hatch. The ad has been withdrawn from broadcast after being ruled in breach of the country’s motor vehicle advertising standards, reigniting a familiar debate about how performance cars can be marketed in a tightly regulated environment.

The commercial in question leans heavily into the GR Yaris’ motorsport image. It opens in a remote setting, where a driver clad in racing gear walks into a fast-food restaurant named Up’n Down Burgers and casually orders a burger, fries and a milkshake. While the food is being prepared, the scene cuts to the GR Yaris being driven hard across loose gravel, its rally credentials front and centre.

Things escalate quickly. The driver collects the takeaway order while executing a dramatic jump, before the car transitions to rain-slicked asphalt near a port. Here, Toyota showcases the GR-Four all-wheel-drive system, briefly switching to two-wheel drive before the GR Yaris finishes with a sharp sideways stop alongside the GR86 and GR Corolla—effectively framing the GR trio as a performance-focused family.

That final sequence proved to be the ad’s undoing. Following a complaint about unsafe driving practices, Australian regulators ruled that the commercial breached the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Code. The determination stated that if the driving depicted had taken place on public roads, it would “almost certainly” have broken road laws in any Australian state or territory.

Toyota pushed back against the ruling, arguing that the advertisement was clearly fictional and stylised. The company highlighted the GR brand’s genuine motorsport pedigree, noting that the driving portrayed rally-style action carried out by professionals on closed roads, in vehicles closely related to its Gazoo Racing competition cars. According to Toyota, the intent was not to promote recklessness, but to dramatise what a capable driver and a purpose-built car can achieve under controlled conditions.

Regulators were unconvinced. Despite Toyota’s objections, the media agency responsible for the campaign was instructed to pull the ad from broadcast, and it has since been removed from television programming—though it remains accessible on YouTube.

“Toyota Australia confirms the decision made by Ad Standards. The current ad for the GR Yaris has been suspended until we make the necessary adjustments,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson said in an interview with Drive.

The episode underscores the ongoing tension between carmakers eager to celebrate performance and regulators determined to ensure advertising does not appear to endorse dangerous driving. For Toyota’s GR division, the challenge now is clear: how to sell rally-inspired excitement without crossing the increasingly fine line drawn by compliance rules.

Source: Toyota

News

Ford Bronco Could Finally Make Its Australian Debut—With a Twist

Australia has long been a haven for off-road enthusiasts, with vehicles like the Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor commanding fierce loyalty from buyers. Yet one iconic 4×4 has conspicuously been missing from local showrooms: the Ford Bronco. That could soon change—but don’t expect it to look or drive quite like the Bronco you know from the US.

Ford appears poised to introduce a new Bronco variant designed specifically for markets outside North America, including Australia. Known in China as the Bronco Basecamp—or Bronco New Energy—this model emerges from Ford’s joint venture with Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC). Its styling feels like a cross between the rugged, full-size American Bronco and the compact Bronco Sport, but it’s actually larger than both.

A notable change for Australian buyers is that the Bronco Basecamp will be built in right-hand drive, with exports planned not just for Australia, but also for Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America, according to reports from Wheelsboy.

Under the skin, the differences continue. While the US Bronco sits on a traditional ladder-frame chassis, the Chinese model uses a unibody construction. That may limit its ability in extreme off-road conditions, but it should provide a more comfortable and composed ride on sealed roads—a potential selling point for buyers seeking rugged style without compromising daily usability.

The Bronco Basecamp is a large vehicle by any measure, stretching 5,025 mm (just over 197 inches) in length—101 mm longer than the Ford Everest currently sold in Australia. This combination of size and unibody construction suggests Ford is targeting a new segment: drivers who want the adventurous aesthetic of a 4×4, but with family-friendly dynamics and more forgiving handling.

Powertrain options are particularly compelling. The all-electric Bronco Basecamp packs a 105.4 kWh battery and dual electric motors producing a combined 445 hp and 424 lb-ft (575 Nm) of torque. That makes it more powerful than the ICE-powered Bronco Raptor in terms of horsepower and nearly matches its torque.

In China, Ford also offers a range-extender version featuring a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors and a 43.7 kWh battery. This setup delivers 416 hp and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) while offering up to 220 km (137 miles) of electric-only range.

Whether both powertrains will make it to Australia remains unclear. Even if Ford limits the lineup, the Bronco Basecamp presents a fresh alternative for local buyers—one that blends the Bronco’s iconic off-road DNA with modern electric technology and everyday usability. It’s not the American Bronco many have been dreaming of, but it could be the next best thing for those craving a large, adventurous SUV with a distinctly global twist.

Source: Ford