New-vehicle sales year-to-date are back in the black for the first time in 2025, led by a surge in deliveries of electric cars – both Tesla and BYD – and Chinese-made vehicles.
Deliveries of new cars in Australia are now in positive territory for 2025 after a 7 per cent surge for September, the highest increase so far this year.
The Toyota HiLux returned to the top of the charts – on 5047 sales – months before it is expected to be replaced by a new-generation model, followed by its Ford Ranger rival, and the highest sales in 18 months for the third-placed Tesla Model Y.
It helped Chinese-made cars surge by 67.7 per cent year on year – to see four models place in the Top 10, the Model Y ahead of the Chery Tiggo 4, BYD Sealion 7, and GWM Haval Jolion – and electric cars account for 11 per cent of total vehicle sales.
Data published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) reports 106,891 new vehicles as sold in September 2025, up 7 per cent on the 99,881 reported the same month a year prior.
It is the second-highest September on record, behind only the 110,702 recorded for the month in 2023, when car companies were clearing long wait lists in the wake of COVID-19 stock shortages.
Since the start of this year, new-car sales tally 938,959 – up 0.3 per cent on last year's 935,945, almost reversing the 0.5 per cent year-to-date decline recorded at the end of August.
Toyota remained the top-selling new-car brand in September, reporting 18,318 deliveries, up 1.1 per cent – ahead of Ford in second place, which, on 8300 sales, reported three fewer vehicles leaving its showrooms than the same month last year.
A 4.2 per cent decline in third-placed Kia's sales in September – despite the arrival of the Tasman ute – saw it better off than Mazda, down 14.2 per cent for the month to finish fourth, amid a 40 per cent drop in CX-3 sales.
Hyundai was one of only two non-Chinese car brands in the Top 10 to record sales growth last month, finishing fifth – up 15.4 per cent – helped by a 46 per cent increase for the Kona small SUV.
BYD led the Chinese brands in sixth with 5084 sales, up 178.4 per cent – topped by the electric Sealion 7 SUV (1887) – ahead of GWM (eighth, 4945, up 30.1 per cent) and MG (10th, 4011, up 4.4 per cent).
Isuzu Ute dropped out of the Top 10 for the second consecutive month, finishing 14th, down 32.1 per cent to be outsold by Nissan and Chery.
The Toyota HiLux returned to the top spot in the new-model sales charts on 5047 deliveries, swapping places with the Ford Ranger (4867), which recorded slower sales growth last month (8.5 vs 17 per cent).
The Tesla Model Y placed third with 3927 deliveries, its best result since March 2024, up 162 per cent year-on-year. Its closest rival, the BYD Sealion 7, finished eighth on 1887 deliveries.
The Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV from China surged to sixth place for the month, behind the Ford Everest and Toyota RAV4 – the latter down 50.7 per cent in the lead-up to a new model – but ahead of the Isuzu D-Max ute.
Six of the Top 20 best-selling models were made in China, as vehicles from the nation accounted for 20 per cent of sales last month.
Toyota Prado sales are up an incredible 188,400 per cent due to the arrival of the new model late last year, which saw sales of the old model drop to just one vehicle in September last year.
Electric vehicles represented 11.3 per cent of new-car sales, behind regular hybrids (14.5 per cent) but ahead of plug-in hybrids (4.2 per cent), though the latter are up 144 per cent on the year prior.
Data below supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and Electric Vehicle Council (EVC).
TOP 10 CARS IN September 2025
| Rank | Model | Volume September 2025 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota HiLux | 5047 | up 17 per cent |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 4867 | up 8.5 per cent |
| 3 | Tesla Model Y | 3927 | up 162 per cent |
| 4 | Ford Everest | 2558 | down 11.9 per cent |
| 5 | Toyota RAV4 | 2554 | down 50.7 per cent |
| 6 | Chery Tiggo 4 | 2048 | New model |
| 7 | Isuzu D-Max | 1989 | down 23.9 per cent |
| 8 | BYD Sealion 7 | 1887 | New model |
| 9 | Toyota Prado | 1885 | up 188400 per cent |
| 10 | GWM Haval Jolion | 1881 | up 67.2 per cent |
TOP 10 CAR BRANDS IN September 2025
| Rank | Brand | Volume September 2025 | Change year-on-year |
| 1 | Toyota | 18,318 | up 1.1 per cent |
| 2 | Ford | 8300 | down 0.04 per cent |
| 3 | Kia | 7330 | down 4.2 per cent |
| 4 | Mazda | 7034 | down 14.2 per cent |
| 5 | Hyundai | 6501 | up 15.4 per cent |
| 6 | BYD | 5084 | up 178.4 per cent |
| 7 | GWM | 4945 | up 30.1 per cent |
| 8 | Mitsubishi | 4737 | down 22.7 per cent |
| 9 | Tesla | 4663 | up 76 per cent |
| 10 | MG | 4011 | up 4.4 per cent |
Passenger cars: Top Three in each segment in September 2025
| Micro | Kia Picanto (620) | Fiat/Abarth 500 (38) | |
| Light < $30k | MG 3 (615) | Mazda 2 (324) | Toyota Yaris (219) |
| Light > $30k | Mini Cooper (201) | Hyundai i20 N (96) | Volkswagen Polo (94) |
| Small < $45k | Toyota Corolla (1137) | Hyundai i30 (1021) | Kia K4 (938) |
| Small > $45k | Volkswagen Golf (249) | Audi A3 (215) | Subaru WRX (195) |
| Medium < $60k | Toyota Camry (896) | BYD Seal (450) | Skoda Octavia (70) |
| Medium > $60k | Tesla Model 3 (736) | BMW 3 Series (218) | Polestar 4 (151) |
| Large < $70k | Skoda Superb (22) | Citroen C5 X (0) | |
| Large > $70k | Mercedes-Benz E-Class (39) | BMW 5 Series, i5 (24 each) | Audi A6 (12) |
| Upper Large > $100k | BMW i7 (7) | BMW 7 Series (3) | Bentley Flying Spur, Lexus LS (2 each) |
| People Movers | Kia Carnival (703) | Hyundai Staria (107) | Ford Tourneo (92) |
| Sports < $90k | Ford Mustang (117) | Subaru BRZ (73) | Mazda MX-5 (61) |
| Sports > $90k | BMW 2 Series Coupe (153) | Mercedes-Benz CLE coupe/convertible (77) | BMW 4 Series coupe/convertible (53) |
| Sports > $200k | Porsche 911 (59) | Mercedes-AMG GT, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin sports cars (16 each) | Ferrari sports cars (9) |
SUVs: Top Three in each segment in September 2025
| Light SUV | Mazda CX-3 (1188) | Kia Stonic (754) | Hyundai Venue (750) |
| Small SUV < $45k | Chery Tiggo 4 (2048) | GWM Haval Jolion (1881) | Hyundai Kona (1844) |
| Small SUV > $45k | Audi Q3 (506) | BMW X1 (440) | Volkswagen T-Roc (367) |
| Medium SUV < $60k | Toyota RAV4 (2554) | BYD Sealion 7 (1887) | Mitsubishi Outlander (1785) |
| Medium SUV > $60k | Tesla Model Y (3927) | Mercedes-Benz GLC (504) | Mazda CX-60 (451) |
| Large SUV < $80k | Ford Everest (2558) | Toyota Prado (1885) | Isuzu MU-X (742) |
| Large SUV > $80k | Land Rover Defender (341) | BMW X5 (273) | Range Rover Sport (264) |
| Upper Large SUV < $120k | Toyota LandCruiser wagon (1166) | Nissan Patrol wagon (468) | Land Rover Discovery (41) |
| Upper Large SUV > $120k | BMW X7 (93) | Lexus GX, Mercedes-Benz G-Class (74) | Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV (62) |
Utes and vans: Top Three in each segment in September 2025
| Vans < 2.5t | Volkswagen Caddy (93) | Peugeot Partner (45) | Renault Kangoo (9) |
| Vans 2.5t-3.5t | Toyota HiAce van (1096) | Ford Transit Custom (381) | Hyundai Staria Load (265) |
| 4x2 Utes | Toyota HiLux (875) | Isuzu D-Max (279) | Mitsubishi Triton (277) |
| 4x4 Utes < $100k | Ford Ranger (4632) | Toyota HiLux (4172) | Isuzu D-Max (1710) |
| Utes > $100k | Ram 1500 (235) | Chevrolet Silverado HD (189) | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (156) |
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
