Cars we can’t get enough of: 2026 Toyota HiLux and RAV4 top the table as the Tesla Model Y comes crashing back to earth and BYD builds consistency with the Shark 6 and Sealion 7

The Australian new car landscape is getting reformed in front of our eyes.

July sales figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), showed the cars and brands Aussies are loving and the ones we are falling out of love with.

The default choice for Australians remains Toyota with the Japanese brand continuing to account for one in five new cars sold.

The Toyota HiLux was the best selling vehicle in July, with 4676 examples finding a home. This was followed by the RAV4 (4415) in second position and the Prado (2339) in sixth position and the Corolla (1863) in eighth spot.

The Ford Ranger ute (3930) and Everest 4WD (2425) twins remain popular with buyers, taking third and fourth spot respectively. The Ranger remains the highest selling vehicle through the first seven months of 2025, but the HiLux and RAV4 are nipping at its heels.

In the second half of the top 10 selling vehicles and brands is where it gets really interesting.

Household names such as Nissan, Subaru, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi are dropping in sales, while upstarts such as BYD, Chery and GWM are rising fast.

The concern for some of the brands that are dropping in sales is nearly their entire, if not their entire, range is faltering. And most lack the tools to fight off the new wave of brands right now.

Subaru’s new Forester should give it a boost, Mitsubishi is without three of its core models (ASX, Eclipse Cross, and Pajero Sport) for the near future and Nissan has more than a year until its Navara and Patrol replacement arrive.

Even at the top end there is some upheaval. Kia was only 509 cars away from displacing Mazda as the second best selling brand in the country. The arrival of the Kia Tasman ute this month could push it over the top in August.

Tesla sales came crashing back to earth after several good months following the launch of the updated Model Y SUV. Only 555 Model Ys found a new home in July, which is a drop of more than 58 per cent compared to the same month last year and put it at more than 20 per cent lower for the first seven months compared to the previous year.

Tesla's sales do tend to bounce around due to shipping schedules.

BYD appears to be the biggest Tesla sales thief, with its Sealion 7 electric SUV having another consistent month of about 1400 sales.

BYD’s Shark 6 fell from its recent lofty heights, with a still-impressive 1233 sales in July.

Electric car sales were up in July by about seven per cent despite the 60 per cent drop from Australia’s top selling EV brand, Tesla.

Plug-in hybrid sales continue to grow as more options become available to customers, according to FCAI boss Tony Weber.

“With more than 50 models available in 2025, plug-in hybrids have emerged as an important transition technology for many Australians, particularly those in regional areas or those with limited access to charging,” said Weber.

Best selling vehicles July, 2025

Vehicle	Sales	YoY change
Toyota HiLux	4676	-1.5%
Toyota RAV4	4415	-25.6%
Ford Ranger	3930	-20%
Ford Everest	2425	+12.2%
Isuzu D-Max	2351	-0.8%
Toyota Prado	2339	+11038%
Chery Tiggo 4	2065	NA
Toyota Corolla	1863	-27%
Hyundai Tucson	1914	+18%
Hyundai Kona	1903	+29.5%

Best selling brands July, 2025

Brand	Sales	YoY change
Toyota	21,722	-4.3%
Mazda	7452	-12.1%
Kia	7402	+11.8%
Ford	7279	-6.1%
Hyundai	6687	+11.1%
Mitsubishi	4983	-12.9%
GWM	4721	+42.2%
BYD	4607	+158%
Isuzu	3986	+4.3%
Subaru	3264	-9.4%