Australia’s new-car market has never been more competitive, with 67 brands fighting for an economic foothold. And it's only getting bigger.
While price parity between electric vehicles and hybrid models is starting to narrow due to the rise of affordable, budget-friendly cars from a variety of brands, some new marques have been scrutinised for the lack of a servicing and maintenance network.
As reported by Drive in March 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called out some car makers for their “unfair practices” and warned that the federal government will crack down on franchising laws that better protect dealerships and customers.
“We want to make it clear to companies new to the Australian market that they also have to meet standards around service, not rely on [sales] volume alone,” Prime Minister Albanese said in an AADA press conference.
Numerous early adopters of some new brands have taken to social media platforms such as Facebook and Reddit to share their ownership experiences.
While most reported issues, such as extended wait times for spare parts, repairs and servicing, some car owners in regional communities said they had to travel further to find the next available workshop.
Earlier this year, AADA CEO James Voortman acknowledged that the growth isn't sustainable, but Australian consumers still prefer reliability over monetary value.
"What is obvious is not all these new and even established brands will be able to compete in the long term," Voortman said in a January 2026 media statement.
Australian drivers will always be attracted to value-based products that offer a quality experience, but more so, a quality after-sales experience with reliable and timely servicing and repair work. Brands that cannot compete on that level will struggle," he warned.
Which begs the question – should you rush to buy a car from a new car brand in Australia?
Is it worth buying a car from a new brand?
Generally speaking, yes, it's worth considering a new-brand car in Australia.
Some industry bodies said recently implemented laws have made it somewhat easier to service and repair these new models from marques that don’t yet have an established maintenance presence in the country.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) – the state's peak industry body – told Drive, “In the last few years, the federal government has implemented right-to-repair laws allowing independent automotive businesses to carry out servicing and repairs. So, the lack of an established dealer presence and servicing footprints should not be an issue".
However, some new Chinese brands, such as BYD, Zeekr, Xpeng, Smart and Leapmotor, were scrutinised last year after they were found not to comply with rules prohibiting car companies from monopolising the servicing network of their products.
But delays are a common part of the foundational period for most newcomers in the market, Motor Traders Association NSW (MTA NSW) head of government relations and advocacy Collin Jennings said.
“There are delays in repairs for all brands in Australia at some point or another. These can be for a variety of reasons, including shipping delays from international ports to geopolitical instability,” Jennings told Drive.
“In some instances, the popularity of a new brand may mean that there is a backlog of repairs [and services]."
BYD Asia Pacific Managing Director Liu Xueliang told local media, including Drive, in April 2026, that the brand is working to expand its dealer network to include a service and parts supply chain across 98 per cent of its showrooms.
"We are speeding up the network development in the Australian market. In the coming future, you will see a lot of this after-sales service network being built up in regional areas," Liu said.
"We did know the story about some consumers living in regional areas needing to drive two hours away to get their car serviced, which is exactly why we need to speed up our network development, especially in the after-sales space."
Additionally, the federal government previously mandated that car makers and the broader automotive repair industry share servicing and repair information, further alleviating consumer pressure.
For car owners who have made the jump into new car brands, the VACC advised doing their due diligence and ask around before confirming an appointment.
“For drivers of newer or lesser-known brands – particularly those without an established service dealer network in Australia – it is especially important to ask questions before committing to repairs,” a VACC spokesperson said.
"Consumers should ask whether their technician regularly works on their type of vehicles, what issues they are seeing, and whether parts and technical information are readily available.
"Local technicians work on vehicles every day and understand the common faults, real-world performance issues, and what it takes to keep them running safely and efficiently."
While Chinese brands have been under the most scrutiny given the number of marques coming from the country, the VACC said the extended repair wait times are part of a broader industry issue.
“Long repair times are not a situation limited to new Chinese brands. Many legacy brands may also face long wait times due to an industry-wide shortage of qualified technicians and international supply chain issues in sourcing parts,” a VACC spokesperson told Drive.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
