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Top 10 new cars in every Australian state and territory

A breakdown of Australia’s most popular new cars in all eight states and territories has been unearthed in the lead-up to the end of the year.

Each month, the automotive industry publishes national new-car sales data – model by model and brand by brand. However, it only tells part of the story.

Thanks to additional data supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), Drive can reveal the Top 10 new-car sales in each state and territory so far this year – from January to October 2022 – and the results throw up more than a few surprises.

In seven of Australia’s eight states and territories, the nation’s best-selling new motor vehicle – the Toyota HiLux – maintains its top spot.

However, the Toyota HiLux ranks second on the sales charts in Victoria behind the Ford Ranger (which is ranked second nationally). Could this be skewed by all of Ford’s company cars (head office is still in Melbourne, even after manufacturing closed), or are private buyers and tradies behind the unique sales surge?

Toyota – which has sold more than twice as many cars as its nearest competitor so far this year – has three models in the Top 10 sales charts in every state and territory, as well as six of the Top 10 spots in the Northern Territory.

As previously reported, utes continue to dominate the 2022 sales charts, not only in terms of leading overall sales (with the HiLux and Ranger in the Top Two spots) but also in the number of different models featured in the state-by-state rankings.

While the national uptake of electric cars has increased by almost 500 per cent compared to the same period last year, just two battery-powered models made it into the Top 10 in any region, with Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y making the cut in the Australian Capital Territory.


Data below supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and compiled by Jordan Mulach. 

New South Wales – 282,669 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 16,482
  2. Ford Ranger – 10,438
  3. Toyota RAV4 – 10,264
  4. Mitsubishi Triton – 7441
  5. Mazda CX-5 – 7191
  6. Toyota Corolla – 7154
  7. Hyundai i30 – 6060
  8. Isuzu D-Max – 5944
  9. Kia Sportage – 5219
  10. MG ZS – 5186

In Australia’s biggest region for new-car sales, it’s the nationwide leader which holds a clear advantage, with the Toyota HiLux comfortably ahead of the Ford Ranger.

Ford’s new-generation Ranger faced a slow roll-out in local showrooms, leading to the Toyota RAV4 being within striking distance of the ute for second spot.

Continuing the nationwide trend, utes are dominating the sales charts with four entries in the top eight spots, while four SUVs and two small cars share the remaining places.

Victoria – 237,775 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Ford Ranger – 11,923
  2. Toyota HiLux – 10,193
  3. Toyota RAV4 – 7223
  4. Mazda CX-5 – 6474
  5. Mitsubishi Triton – 5147
  6. Hyundai i30 – 4896
  7. Isuzu D-Max – 4371
  8. Hyundai Tucson – 4152
  9. Toyota Corolla – 4139
  10. Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 3852

Victoria is the only Australian state or territory where sales are led by the Ford Ranger, with the new-generation model currently out-selling the otherwise dominant Toyota HiLux by more than 1500 examples.

Just two of the 10 cars which featured on the New South Wales charts are missing from Victoria – the Kia Sportage and MG MG3.

While the MG3 was replaced by the significantly larger and more expensive Toyota LandCruiser Prado, the Sportage traded places with its twin, the Hyundai Tucson.

Queensland – 194,766 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 14,171
  2. Ford Ranger – 7337
  3. Mitsubishi Triton – 6340
  4. Toyota RAV4 – 5972
  5. Isuzu D-Max – 5579
  6. Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 5242
  7. Mazda CX-5 – 5021
  8. Mitsubishi Outlander – 3594
  9. Mazda BT-50 – 3583
  10. MG MG3 – 3419

Queensland is one of two Australian states in which utes fill the Top three places – comfortably led by the Toyota HiLux – as well as being the only region where pick-ups account for five of the Top 10 positions.

Toyota has sold nearly twice as many examples of its best-selling ute in the Sunshine State as Ford’s second-placed Ranger, while the Mitsubishi Triton hangs on to third spot ahead of the Toyota RAV4.

The Mazda BT-50 makes its only state-based Top 10 appearance – in Queensland – despite its Isuzu D-Max twin appearing in all eight lists.

Western Australia – 87,602 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 7340
  2. Ford Ranger – 4219
  3. Toyota RAV4 – 2937
  4. Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 2903
  5. Isuzu D-Max – 2697
  6. Mitsubishi Triton – 2634
  7. Mazda CX-5 – 2114
  8. Mitsubishi Outlander – 2006
  9. Toyota Corolla – 1918
  10. Hyundai i30 – 1707

The Toyota HiLux’s sales domination continues in Western Australia where it again leads from the Ford Ranger.

The Toyota RAV4 and LandCruiser Prado are split by just 34 sales, despite being aimed at separate parts of the SUV market and listed at different price points.

The Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton are locked in a close battle in Western Australia with 63 sales between them for the fifth spot.

South Australia – 58,501 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 3507
  2. Toyota RAV4 – 2429
  3. Ford Ranger – 2386
  4. Mitsubishi Triton – 2051
  5. Mazda CX-5 – 1888
  6. Isuzu D-Max – 1683
  7. Toyota Corolla – 1506
  8. Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 1296
  9. Mitsubishi Outlander – 1295
  10. MG ZS – 1211

The biggest sales battle in South Australia is between the Toyota RAV4 (currently second) and the Ford Ranger (third place), with just 43 sales between them for the runner-up spot in the state.

As with Western Australia, the Toyota LandCruiser Prado is in close competition with another SUV, this time the new-generation Mitsubishi Outlander which trails by just one sale at the end of October.

Tasmania – 15,708 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 1126
  2. Ford Ranger – 773
  3. Mitsubishi Triton – 717
  4. Toyota RAV4 – 660
  5. Isuzu D-Max – 471
  6. Suzuki Baleno – 379
  7. MG MG3 – 366
  8. MG ZS – 334
  9. Toyota Corolla – 303
  10. Mitsubishi ASX – 287

Motorists on the Apple Isle continue to favour the Toyota HiLux and other utes such as the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max – however small cars and SUVs are gaining popularity.

Apart from the Toyota RAV4, the remaining five places are held by small cars and small SUVs including the Suzuki Baleno (the Japanese brand’s only Top 10 result in any jurisdiction), the MG3 and ZS, Toyota Corolla and Mitsubishi ASX.

Australian Capital Territory – 13,533 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 568
  2. Toyota RAV4 – 470
  3. Tesla Model 3 – 422
  4. Ford Ranger – 396
  5. Mazda CX-30 – 317
  6. Hyundai i30 – 300
  7. Toyota Corolla – 298
  8. Mitsubishi Triton – 283
  9. Tesla Model Y – 258
  10. Isuzu D-Max – 241

While the Toyota HiLux appears to be the National Capital’s best-selling new car, without its 4×2 and 4×4 sales combined the top spot would go to the Toyota RAV4.

Toyota has sold 100 more RAV4s than 4×4 HiLuxes in the Australian Capital Territory this year, with the ute slipping to fourth place when its 198 4×2 sales aren’t added to its total.

The ACT’s Top 10 list also includes the only appearances for electric cars in any state or territory – the Tesla Model 3 (third) and Tesla Model Y (ninth).

Northern Territory – 8327 vehicles sold year-to-date

  1. Toyota HiLux – 1293
  2. Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 505
  3. Toyota RAV4 – 415
  4. Toyota Corolla – 280
  5. Mitsubishi Triton/Ford Ranger– 271
  6. MG ZS – 254
  7. Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series – 214
  8. Isuzu D-Max – 209
  9. MG MG3 – 186
  10.  Toyota Fortuner – 157

In the Top End, sales of the Toyota HiLux 4×4 outnumber every other model and every other car brand.

Between January and October, Toyota has reported as sold 836 examples of the four-wheel-drive HiLux in the Northern Territory. In the same period, Mitsubishi – the second-most popular car-maker in the region – sold 604 cars.

Toyota has asserted its dominance in the region by securing six out of the Top 10 spots – including the only appearances of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series and Toyota Fortuner.

From January to October 2022, the Mitsubishi Triton and Ford Ranger both recorded 271 sales – each within nine deliveries of the Toyota Corolla small car.

The post Top 10 new cars in every Australian state and territory appeared first on Drive.

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