2023's sales winners! How Isuzu, Nissan, GWM, Tesla and more had excellent years

Last year was a record year for new-vehicle sales in Australia, which was welcome news for carmakers following years of pandemic-related uncertainty.

Unsurprisingly, Toyota was the overall best-selling brand in Australia in 2023, but further down the list from the podium, there were some interesting stories.

While some brands are on the comeback trail, there are a few new carmakers that are making waves. Some of these brands’ volumes might not be bothering Toyota anytime soon, but they recorded big improvements over their 2022 sales.

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Here are the sales winners of 2023.

Isuzu Ute - sales up 28.4%

While Isuzu ended the year in 10th place, which is a place lower than 2022, the company increased its sales by 28.4 per cent to 45,341 units.

What an impressive feat for a brand with just two models! The Japanese ute and SUV specialist has been punching above its weight for years, but it stepped up again in 2023.

While Isuzu ended the year in 10th place, which is a place lower than 2022, the company increased its sales by 28.4 per cent to 45,341 units. That was enough to keep brands like Volkswagen, Nissan and rising star GWM (more on them in a bit) out of the top 10.

More than the overall tally, the bigger news for Isuzu was the fact that the D-Max ute landed in third place on the best-selling models table, with 31,202 units (combined 4x2 and 4x4) - a 28.2 per cent jump over its 2022 result.

The related MU-X SUV also had a great year, with 14,139 sales (+28.7%), making it the third best-selling model in the sub-$70,000 large SUV segment, however it wasn’t enough to beat its nemesis, the Ford Everest (15,071 sales).

Nissan - sales up 48.6%

New versions of the Pathfinder, X-Trail and Qashqai all lobbed late in 2022 and supply improved throughout 2023, giving Nissan a boost.

Finally, Nissan is starting to fire! After a few slow years caused by ageing product that saw the Japanese maker fall well outside the top 10, Nissan has started to claw back some of the sames it lost to old and new rivals.

In 2023, Nissan was still just outside the top 10, but its 39,376-unit haul - marking a 48.6 per cent jump over the 2022 tally - was a much stronger result.

And the reason for this is down to refreshed product. New versions of the Pathfinder, X-Trail and Qashqai all lobbed late in 2022 and supply improved throughout 2023, giving Nissan a boost.

Other models like the Leaf, new Z coupe, Juke crossover and the old but still incredibly popular Patrol 4x4 all recorded significant growth in 2022. Only the ageing Navara went backwards in 2023.

GWM - sales up 45.3%

GWM’s top seller was the Haval Jolion (11,252, +39.6%) which outsold popular small SUVs like the Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos.

While MG is firmly a top-10 player in Australia, GWM is the second-biggest Chinese manufacturer in Australia and climbing.

GWM landed in 12th spot in 2023 with 36,397, and while that was a 45.3 per cent increase over 2022, it wasn’t enough to leapfrog Volkswagen.

With the Haval, Ute, Ora and Tank sub-brands, GWM is a force in Australia and that line-up is only expected to expand in the coming years, so get used to seeing more of them on the roads.

GWM’s top seller was the Haval Jolion (11,252, +39.6%) which outsold popular small SUVs like the Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos. Similarly, the H6 mid-size SUV (8971, +28%) beat popular picks like the VW Tiguan and new Honda CR-V.

The 4x2 and 4x4 GWM Ute (9616, +23.2%) outpaced the LDV T60, as well as the Nissan Navara.

Lexus - sales up 114.3%

One key to sales success was reducing delivery times from up to two years in the case of the NX350h, down to four-to six months.

It was a record year for Japanese luxury marque Lexus, which captured an impressive 15,192 sales, up 114.3 per cent on 2022. A big change from the brand's disappointing 2022 result.

Toyota’s premium arm said that just over 60 per cent of its sales were for electrified models - hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles - and 2023 marked the launch of its first dedicated EV model, the RZ.

The NX mid-size SUV (6875, +104.5%) was the top pick for Lexus, and it was the second best seller in the segment.

One key to sales success was reducing delivery times from up to two years in the case of the NX350h, down to four-to six months.

With the new LBX compact crossover, and the Toyota Prado-based GX large SUV arriving this year, you can expect an even better sales tally for the brand come the end of 2023.

Tesla - sales up 135.4%

Tesla was the eighth best-selling brand overall in 2023, pipping Subaru by just two sales units, as well as beating Isuzu Ute and VW.

Another brand with just two models, Tesla has had a stunning year, made even more impressive given the increasing number of EV rivals that landed in 2023.

Both the Model 3 sedan (17,347, +59.5%) and Model Y SUV (28,796, +230%) led their respective market segments for sales in 2023, and the latter was the most popular EV in the country by a significant margin.

Short wait times from its China-based factory and relative affordability have worked in Tesla’s favour.

Tesla was the eighth best-selling brand overall in 2023, pipping Subaru by just two sales units, as well as beating Isuzu Ute and VW.

Honourable mentions

The VW Group-owned Spanish brand more than doubled sales to 3765 units (+238.9%) in 2023, largely on the back of the popular Formentor SUV.

Cupra - The VW Group-owned Spanish brand more than doubled sales to 3765 units (+238.9%) in 2023, largely on the back of the popular Formentor SUV.

Volvo - Another record year for the Swedish-Chinese brand (11,128, +3.9%), with the XC40 the most popular premium small SUV in the country.

BYD - With just one model - the Atto 3 - available for most of 2023 (the Dolphin and Seal arrived late in the year), China’s BYD grew its sales by a whopping 488.6 per cent, albeit off a low base in 2022.

Land Rover - The Indian-owned British marque almost doubled its sales in 2023 (8425, +93.8%), with key models like the Defender doing the heavy lifting, while the new Range Rover Sport made its presence felt.

Genesis - Hyundai’s luxury arm may not be in Lexus sales territory, but it grew its sales by 84.4 per cent to 1916 units in 2023.