Ford’s two biggest names in Australia suffered huge sales declines in August 2026.
The Ford Ranger sold just 2440 examples across two-wheel and four-wheel drive variants, equating to a more than 50 per cent drop compared to August 2025.
This exacerbates an already challenging year for Australia's best-selling vehicle in 2025. It has sold 32,796 units so far in 2026 compared to 37,183 in 2025 - a near 12 per cent overall drop.
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Ford said it's a blip on the radar.
The Blue Oval was forced to recall almost 14,000 Ranger examples built between November 2025 and July 2026 last month due to a potentially fault airbag.
The brand held back deliveries of some of its vehicles to have the issue rectified, contributing to lower figures in August.
2026 Ford Ranger sales: August 2026 and August 2025 compared
| Sales in August | August 2026 | August 2025 | Percentage change |
| Units registered | 2440 | 4942 | -50.6% |
| YTD sales | Up to August 2026 | Up to August 2025 | Percentage change |
| Units registered | 32,796 | 37,183 | -11.8% |
A spokesperson for Ford Australia said its sales result in August heavily impacted by the temporary delivery and demonstration hold placed on some Ranger dual-cab variants as part of the airbag recall.
"The hold prevented Ranger Double Cab vehicles in dealer stock from being delivered during August," they said.
"As a result, Ford’s reported monthly volume was approximately 30% lower than anticipated for the month.
"The August figure primarily reflects the delayed timing of Ranger deliveries rather than a material change in customer demand."
Ford’s Everest large SUV also had a tough August 2026, and was down almost 25 per cent compared to July 2026.
Everest has had an even more steep decline on year-to-date data, with a more than 14 per cent drop up to August 2026.
2026 Ford Everest sales: August 2026 and August 2025 compared
| Sales in August | August 2026 | August 2025 | Percentage change |
| Units registered | 1660 | 2203 | -24.6% |
| YTD sales | Up to August 2026 | Up to August 2025 | Percentage change |
| Units registered | 14,490 | 16,922 | -14.4% |
Is the Ranger vs HiLux duopoly over?
The Ranger has been a staple of the best-selling car charts over the past few years, consistently winning out in a tight wrestling match with the Toyota HiLux.
August 2026 marked one of few occasions where the HiLux outsold the Ranger - and it has done so by some margin.
The HiLux more than doubled the Ranger’s sales in August, registering 4833 units, having also toppled the Blue Oval’s ute in June, but by a smaller gap.
Diesel ute sales are expected to only slow from here, so the Ranger will face a serious challenge to reclaim its place at the top of the charts in Australia.
Electrified options are increasing
Increasingly stringent emissions regulations and the ongoing fuel price increases are having a material impact on the future of diesel utes in Australia, like the Ranger.
The BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid was one of the only utes to experience a meaningful upturn in sales last month, with a near 10 per cent increase.
Electrified utes like the Shark 6 have been eating into the sales of established diesel competition like the Ranger since it went on sale in late 2024.
Ford sells a PHEV variant of its Ranger in Australia, and the local brand has been contacted to see how many units it sells compared to its diesel sibling.
As emissions regulations continue to squeeze big CO2-emitting vehicles like the diesel Ranger out of the market, more hybrid and electric utes have entered the fray.
New options include:
- KGM’s Musso is available as a fully-electric ute
- Toyota offers an electric variant of the HiLux, mainly to fleet buyers
- GWM's Cannon Alpha is offered with a PHEV set-up
- JAC recently introduced its Hunter PHEV ute that will rival the BYD Shark 6
- The pair are soon to be joined by the Stockman diesel PHEV from Chery
It's not just Ranger that is facing more tough competition in Australia.
The Everest must contend with a raft of new Chinese competition, including the GWM Tank 500 available in conventional hybrid, PHEV and diesel forms.
