BYD Shark 6 News

Where is the Toyota HiLux hybrid?Nine generations in since 1972, you would expect there to be a series-parallel petrol-electric version of one of Australia’s most popular – and, to some people, beloved – vehicles.With some 18,000 BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) sold in Australia last year, it is clear that even ute consumers are gravitating away from diesel and into less-polluting powertrain alternatives.This is especially true given that all of Toyota’s car-based SUVs and passenger cars minus the GR86 coupe are now offered exclusively as hybrids in Australia.The answer, it seems, is implied in the previous sentence, since the rest of the Japanese giant’s model line-up, including all body-on-frame SUVs and commercial vehicles including the Toyota HiAce van, barring the Tundra full-sized pick-up that is remanufactured in Melbourne from North America, are powered by diesel engines.And the latter barely counts since it costs from $155,990 before on-road costs, making it a strictly niche proposition.“In simplistic terms, it just gets down to capability and cost you know,” according to former Toyota Motor Company Australia (TMCA) Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley.“You still need to have that diesel engine that could do the things that customer want to do. There's nothing more or less in it than that.”Hanley explained that, right now, only diesel-powered engines can achieve the level of towing and Gross Vehicle Mass (the total amount a vehicle is allowed to weigh when fully loaded) within a certain price point in models like HiLux and HiAce. Later on, things may change.“There's costs, you know,” he said.“Developing these kinds of vehicles in a light commercial vehicle (LCV) cost a lot of money.“So, is the timing right for it? Now, I agree. We've been doing it a long time. It's proven technology; but in an LCV right now, for what, where we'd position it, where it would be positioned, is that really right for the Australian market… or other global markets? Maybe it is, but our assessment is not right now, but at some point (yes).”However, if LCV consumers are clamouring for hybrids, the vehicles must make financial sense, particularly to a company like Toyota.“Okay there may be a demand for the technology, because the technology is good,” Hanley added.“But, when you put the cost of it and the capability of it and the position of it, it doesn't make sense. It may not stack up right now. Doesn't mean it's forever. It's a period.“It's because making an LCV is a far different proposition than making a sedan. It's a far different proposition than making a light SUV, a heavy SUV… this is a far bigger challenge than you truly might understand.”“That's the longer version of why (there is no HiLux or HiAce hybrids); in simple terms, it’s all about capability, positioning, price and cost.”Toyota’s famously cautious approach mirrors its delayed electric vehicle (EV) strategy, which seems to have been the prudent move now as the take-up rate has slowed and Australians are favouring hybrids and PHEVs.“It's no different to when we approached battery EVs,” Hanley said.“You see, there's a cost of making these cars, and in the end, you've got to deliver what the customer wants, but you've also got to be commercially relevant.“These are lessons we learned from hybrid. You know, we learned these lessons now, what's the difference? Well, the difference will only be the timeframe of take up. EVs will be quicker than hybrid was. Hybrid took 24 years to get to where we are today. Now it's just an everyday mainstream car. No one even talks about it, except they say they want one.“EVs will be the same in time. It just won't be 24 years. It'll be a bit quicker.“The reality is those who get the timing right and take customer on the journey will get will be the winner.”

China’s BYD is upgrading its top-selling Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in Australia with more power and towing capacity.According to local government approval filings, this version of the Shark 6 will receive a more powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a 200kW front electric motor and a 150kW rear electric motor, bringing a total system output of 345kW.This is up from the current 321kW total system output which is achieved by a smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, a 170kW front electric motor and a 150kW rear electric motor.It’s worth noting that this new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and dual-electric motor set-up is borrowed from the recently launched Denza B5, though it’s a detuned version. The B5 has a total system output of 400kW.Thanks in part to the extra power, the maximum braked towing capacity has been increased from 2500kg to a segment-meeting 3500kg.The larger engine and more powerful front electric motor however has also increased the tare mass from 2675kg to 2738kg. No payload or gross vehicle mass (GVM) figures have been detailed yet.It’s unclear whether BYD will add this forthcoming more powerful version as a flagship offering in the line-up, or whether it will completely replace the existing model.Regardless it will likely cost more than the current Shark 6 Premium, which starts at $57,900 before on-road costs.For now BYD hasn’t officially announced when this upgraded version of the Shark 6 will be going on sale, though government approval filings like the typically are published just a few months before a vehicle goes on sale.As previously reported, the approval filings also include a cab-chassis version of the Shark 6.It’s worth noting that it still features the same 1.5-litre turbo-petrol dual-electric motor powertrain as the existing Shark 6, meaning it also only has a 2500kg braked towing capacity.BYD similarly hasn’t confirmed exactly when this Shark 6 cab-chassis will be going on sale.In Australia the Shark 6 has been a runaway sales success since it was first launched in early 2025.Last year a total of 18,073 examples were sold, making it the best-selling PHEV in Australia.Even in January 2026, a total of 1108 Shark 6 examples were sold. This saw it outsell the likes of the GWM Cannon and Cannon Alpha (885 sales combined), Kia Tasman (410 sales) and the Mazda BT-50 (780 sales).

The best ute in Australia? Wow, this is the big award in the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards programme. Let's get into it, shall we?Our 10-strong shortlist for one of the most competitive segments has been whittled down to a top three, and – of course – a winner. But not before plenty of healthy and sometimes pretty vibrant debate between the members of the CarsGuide Editorial team.In the end, though, the choice seemed obvious, and overwhelming. So read on to find out the winner of the 2026 CarsGuide Car of The Year – Best Ute Starting Under $85K category.But first, a note. The runners-up are listed in alphabetical order based on the model name. There's no traditional podium here, just three finalists and a winner. Now, on with the show.Want to know just how strong an offering the Ford Ranger is? Every single CarsGuide judge voted for it in one way or another. It didn't score enough first-place votes to take the top prize, but it was in every single judge's top three.Our judging panel praised its capability and the breadth of its offering (especially now with Super Duty and plug-in hybrid variants).Admittedly, some suggested the plug-in Stormtrak variant felt a little "cynical" for its underwhelming EV performance, while others loved it, but all agreed the Ranger remains among Australia's best utes."It might no longer be the outright benchmark, but it is superior to almost every other ute in lots of ways," said Managing Editor Tim Nicholson.First year on sale and first appearance on the CarsGuide COTY podium! Not a bad effort for Kia's first-ever dual-cab offering, the Tasman.Our judges agreed that while the styling might be controversial, there is nothing opinion-splitting about the way the Tasman drives, or the attention its designers have paid to its cabin, which is by far the best in the business."It does the workhorse thing really well, and with a long warranty. It's big inside. It has got a stunning interior. It has a big tub. Kia has come from nowhere and they have swung really hard at this," said CarsGuide Contributing Journalist Byron Mathioudakis.No single ute had a more significant impact on Australia's dual-cab market than the BYD Shark 6 last year, which not only attracted more than 18,000 customers across 2025, but did it without some of the key weapons in the traditional ute arsenal.To succeed in Australia, utes must be powered by a diesel engine. They must be able to tow 3.5 tonnes. And they need to be able to carry a tonne. But it seems nobody issued these three commandments to BYD, because the Shark 6 can't do any of that, and it was the fourth best-selling ute in the country last year – with, it must be pointed out, just the one body style and trim. In place of the diesel donk is a plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain that has seriously resonated with Aussie consumers – forging a path other manufacturers far more established in the ute scene are now scrambling to follow – and it scored big on style and technology with our judges, too."The big thing for me is the ambition of the product, and the way that it's just turned the segment upside down," said CarsGuide Deputy News Editor Tom White."You could argue the segment had become a bit stagnant and boring, and I think Shark 6 just overhauls it completely."

It comes down to this. Seven category winners, seven exceptional cars. But only one can take the crown of CarsGuide’s 2026 overall Car of the Year.The final shortlist for the overall Car of the Year award is made up of the winners of each of our seven categories.This impressive list includes high-end performance SUVs from Germany, new contenders from China, a game-changing ute, family friendly hybrids and top-notch EVs.As a reminder, here are the category winners that make up this final shortlist.Best Small Car Starting Under $50,000 - Kia EV3The Kia EV3 proves small EVs don’t have to be boring. A striking design combined with an engaging drive experience, visually appealing and surprisingly spacious cabin and high levels of standard equipment make for a winning package.Best Small Car Starting Under $80,000 - BMW X1It might not be the newest model on this list, but punchy petrol powertrains and a well-calibrated electric version elevate the BMW X1 above all of its premium small car rivals.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $60,000 - Zeekr 7XThe newest car on this list, the long-awaited Zeekr 7X is a deeply impressive electric family SUV in all grades and proves Zeekr means business.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $130,000 - Hyundai Ioniq 5Perhaps a surprising win against some impressive premium players, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 deserves this award as it remains one of the most impressive electric medium SUVs money can buy.Best Large SUV Starting Under $100,000 - Hyundai Santa FeA massive step up from the previous model, the new Hyundai Santa Fe has a bold design and a spacious and flexible interior with the choice of two excellent powertrains.Best Large SUV Starting Under $220,000 - Porsche CayenneOutpacing a range of mostly German rivals, the Porsche Cayenne has the performance and prestige to make it the clear standout in the category.Best Ute Under $85,000 - BYD Shark 6A truly game-changing ute, the BYD Shark 6 has brought plug-in hybrid power to the masses in a big way.Such a solid list of winners means the car that took the crown is a special vehicle indeed.Without further ado, the winner of CarsGuide’s overall 2026 Car of the Year award is… the Hyundai Santa Fe!The Santa Fe won over the CarsGuide Car of the Year judges for a variety of reasons.The six- or seven-seat large SUV is hard to fault. It’s a phenomenal family car with acres of occupant space across all three rows and decent cargo space as well. There’s also enough to keep kids occupied in the rear two rows while offering high levels of comfort and refinement up front.Interior design and layout is modern, with a retro twist, and the materials used throughout are second to none. Hyundai has used eye-catching seat materials, while the various touchpoints look and feel like they belong in the premium segment.A Santa Fe highlight is the fact that even the entry grade (simply called ‘Santa Fe’) feels nothing like a base model. In fact, it feels more high-end than top-spec versions of many of its rivals.The availability of two excellent powertrains further boosts the Santa Fe. The 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid is not just the best choice for efficiency and refinement, it’s also a punchy, engaging engine. But the 2.5L four-cylinder turbo-petrol version is also an absolute hoot.Both are available in front and all-wheel drive, and they come with a full-size spare wheel. Not something every hybrid can claim.Value for money was also a one of the Santa Fe’s biggest strengths. Pricing ranges from around $54,000 for the entry petrol grade and it tops out at $77,000 for the fully kitted out Calligraphy hybrid. Even at the entry point, the Sant Fe is packed with comfort and safety features.Finally, while its exterior design is undoubtedly polarising, the judges agree that it’s a standout among a largely vanilla bunch of family SUV rivals.Not only is the Hyundai Santa Fe CarsGuide’s top pick for a family car in 2026, but we reckon it’s the best car money can buy.A well deserved win for a brilliantly executed car.

BYD’s Sealion 6 will undergo a behind the scenes change in Australia, which could alter the future direction of BYD products for our market.Following the news of the end of production for the top-selling BYD Sealion 6 in China, the brand’s local division has confirmed to CarsGuide not only will the model live on, but it will swap production to the brand’s Thai factory.The “eventual” change will be seamless and imperceptible to Aussie buyers, and ongoing supply of the popular plug-in hybrid will not be affected, according to a BYD Australia representative.“BYD vehicles are built to the same exacting quality standards irrespective of the production location, so it doesn’t matter if the vehicles originate from China or Thailand,” the representative said. “Nor would we anticipate any impact to shipping and logistics costs.”While the shift may be imperceptible to buyers, it represents an interesting move for the Chinese brand in opening the door to potentially more Thai-built cars in the future.BYD opened its new Thai factory in 2024, which has been building the Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal and now the Sealion 6, with a capacity of 150,000 units a year. While the factory serves as a strategic facility for right-hand drive markets in the region, it also started exporting left-hand drive vehicles to Europe in 2025.This is because vehicles built in Thailand can dodge some tariffs placed on Chinese-built vehicles in Europe.The massive export boon, plus a big push in Thailand to electrify its vehicle fleet, has attracted multiple Chinese manufacturers to its shores.BYD joins GWM, which took over the Holden plant in the same province, as well as familiar giants SAIC Motor, Changan and GAC.GWM has also begun to source cars for the Australian market from its Thai facility, kicking off with the updated Ora electric hatchback.Thailand continues to be the country of origin for the majority of utes sold in Australia, including the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton. It was once a strong export location for passenger cars from brands such as Honda, it has since fallen to the wayside as Australia’s safety and emissions standards further diverge from our South East Asian neighbours.More demand for electric vehicles and a higher specification level offered in Chinese cars has again made Thailand relevant as a point of origin for cars sold in our country.The majority of BYDs will continue to be sourced from China for the time being, but it will be interesting to see whether the shift to Thai production for one of its best-selling products will influence its local line-up in the future.BYD has an ambitious goal to be a top-three automaker in Australia by the end of 2026, and to achieve that goal it will aggressively expand on its line-up over the next 12 months.The brand has just launched its Atto 1 city hatch and Atto 2 small SUV both as fully electrics, and will soon offer the Sealion 5 as a price-leading plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV to sit below the Sealion 6. It will also top-out its local range with the Sealion 8 three-row plug-in hybrid SUV. The brand has also flagged an expansion of its smash-hit Shark 6 plug-in ute range, which currently only has a single variant. It has earmarked well-received upgrades from the related Denza B5 — such as differential locks, which are currently a glaring omission from the Shark 6’s equipment list.Other officially unannounced models in the works include the Seal 6 sedan and wagon pair, both will serve as plug-in hybrid alternatives to the fully electric Seal sedan, which has been on sale for some time. The pair appeared in regulatory approval documents earlier in January. These approval documents usually precede a launch by a few months.All form part of BYD’s plan to attack as many market segments as possible to challenge some of the most popular automakers in Australia. To achieve a podium finish, the brand will need to nearly double its sales tally from 2025, and unseat popular brands Hyundai, Kia and Mazda.

Utes are seemingly not going anywhere as they once again featured heavily at the top of the sales charts in 2025.This is despite many models experiencing sales drop-offs year-on-year as the ute market continues to increase in competitiveness.Here are the top five best-selling utes heading into 2026. The Ford Ranger was not just the best-selling ute, but the best-selling car in Australia in 2025. It managed 56,555 sales last year, as it topped the charts, starting from $37,130 (before on-road costs) for the base single-cab chassis.The Ranger is mainly available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 125kW and 405Nm or 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with 184kW and 600Nm.However, the once-popular 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel will be cut from the lineup soon.The range-topping and ever-popular Raptor meanwhile has a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine, producing 292kW and 583Nm, with a starting price more than $90,000.At the other end of the spectrum, the brand now offers a plug-in hybrid, with 207kW and 697Nm, starting at $71,990 - whether it will go on to be a hit with buyers like one of its rivals on the list remains to be seen.The Toyota HiLux is second on this list and came second overall in the car sales standings for last year, with 51,297 units registered.The base manual single-cab chassis HiLux starts from $33,990, before on-road costs and the range goes all the way up to $71,990 for the range-topping dual-cab variant. All HiLux models are powered by a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 150kW and 420Nm or 500Nm, depending on whether has a manual or automatic transmission. Toyota will also be expanding on its range, launching an all-electric version of the HiLux in the first quarter of 2026.Isuzu’s D-Max is the next best-selling ute in Australia, with 26,839 sales in 2025.Its price ranges from $36,200 to $80,900, before on-road costs, and it comes with two engine choices which are both turbo diesels. There is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder option, producing 120kW and 400Nm, and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, producing 140kW and 450Nm. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine was introduced last year to replace the less efficient and smaller 1.9-litre option.Despite being one of only two products offered by Isuzu Ute, the D-Max and its related MU-X SUV are enough to propel the brand into a top-10 position in the Australian market.Mitsubishi’s ute offering, the Triton, earned its spot in the top five with 18,900 sales. The Triton was the only ute on this list that experienced a sales bump in 2025 compared to 2024, up for 4.6 per cent year-on-year. It starts at $34,740 and goes up to $66,140, before on-road costs. All Triton utes get a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, which produces 150kW and 470Nm. Rounding out the list is the only plug-in hybrid exclusive ute in the top five. The Shark 6 burst onto the scene in 2025, and achieved a flurry of early sales, guiding it to 18,074 units throughout the year - a decisive success story. It only comes as a dual-cab in a single trim level, which is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with electric motors, combining for a total output of 321kW and 650Nm. The plug-in ute starts at $57,900, before on-road costs, and is set to be joined by cheaper cab-chassis variants later this year. 

Blame Jurassic Park.Ever since Steven Spielberg’s iconic dinosaur movie hit the big screen, everyone has been afraid of Raptors. And not just the dinosaurs, because despite it being more than seven years since Ford launched the Ranger Raptor, nobody has been brave enough to take it on.But there is an obvious brand that should. BYD needs to build its own apex predator — the BYD ‘Great White’ Shark 6.As we continue our summer series looking at the missing pieces from several big name brands, today we’re talking a look at BYD, because the Chinese brand has enjoyed significant growth in recent years and is looking for an even bigger 2026 with the arrival of the Atto 1, Atto 2, Sealion 5 and Sealion 8.There has also been a lot of talk about expanding the Shark 6 line-up, but so far only a ‘more premium’ version and some stripped out variants to appeal to fleet buyers. The brand has, like every other brand that makes utes, deliberately avoided specifically mentioning any direct rival to the Ranger Raptor.With good reason, the Raptor has become a new benchmark in the ute market - not only in terms of performance, both on and off-road, but also the money buyers are willing to spend on a ute.It is both a great concept and a well-executed one, with the second-generation Raptor a leap forward from the already-impressive original.So why should BYD be the first to truly take it on head-to-head? Because it already has the foundations for a proper performance ute. The plug-in hybrid powertrain already makes 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque, which is more than the 291kW/583Nm offered up by the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine in the Ranger Raptor.Of course, engine performance is only a part of the Raptor’s success, with the real difference maker being the incredibly effective suspension set-up. Ford has decades of off-road desert racing experience to draw on, but BYD clearly has plenty of resources. The fact the company created the Shark 6, and hit the mark so accurately it is already regularly amongst the best-selling utes each month, is proof of that.Make no mistake, I’m not suggesting this would be easy, but it would give BYD a true hero model that would have an impact on the overall brand perception and that will trickle down the entire range, all the way down to the Atto 1.Plus, Great White Shark is such a perfect name it would be a shame to waste it.

Is there a more important vehicle category in dual-cab-devoted Australia than utes? I’m not sure there is. And I’m also sure that, in a segment that has sat stagnant for years, there has never been a more exciting time to be picking the best and brightest in the country.Where do we start? Maybe with China’s full-throttle assault on the segment? Or with the rise of plug-in hybrid petrol in a diesel-dominated market? Or Kia turning its hand to a ute for the very first time? Or BYD, for that matter?See what I mean? It’s an exciting time to be picking the best ute in Australia as part of the ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year (COTY) awards, and the days of it being a two-way battle between the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are well behind us.But to pick a winner, we first need to choose the best of the best that will be battling for the top prize. So without further adieu, this is the CarsGuide Car of The Year top-10 shortlist for sub-$85K Utes.This category's winner and two runners-up will be announced on February 6, 2026.Perhaps no other ute has been quite as surprising as the barnstorming BYD Shark 6, which has not only taken the fight to the established giants of the ute segment, it has done it without a diesel engine in sight.Instead, a plug-in hybrid powertrain does the heavy lifting here, with BYD arguably doing more to electrify the ute segment than any model to come before it. Our reviewers love the on-road refinement and the value-packed feature list, but concede its towing capacity lags its major rivals.It’s also on our shortlist because of its segment-altering drivetrain, which has forced several mainstream ute makers to follow its lead.A classic and the best-selling ute in the country for a reason. The Ford Ranger is on our shortlist for its driving dynamics (it’s among the most car-like utes on our list), which takes nothing away from its ability to get down and dirty in terms of towing or off-road capability.What really drew praise from our judges, though, is the breadth of the Ranger’s offering, with worksite-ready versions, family friendly versions, hardcore off-road versions, and a choice between several diesel engines or plug-in hybrid powertrains.That said, some pointed to the PHEV solution offering little in the way of real-world range.The unsung hero of Australia’s automotive world (it is, after all, often one of our top five best-selling vehicles), the Isuzu underwent a fairly major update that ironed out some of its more agricultural qualities with some design, cabin and technology updates.The D-Max was praised by our judges for doing exactly what it says on the tin, and delivering exactly what many ute buyers are looking for, with little fuss or fanfare. But some wonder whether it feels new and fresh enough.The entry-level cars also get a bigger smaller engine, if that makes sense. With the old 1.9-litre diesel swapped out for a 2.2-litre unit that’s both more powerful and more efficient. Tick and tick.Kia burst onto the ute scene with the boldly designed Tasman, a ute that really does look like few others on the road.Our judges were unanimous in praising the Tasman’s delightful and tech-filled cabin experience and its road manners, and reports of its off-road prowess are impressive, too.Its looks seemingly remain controversial, at least among the buying public, but there’s little doubting Kia’s first ute has plenty of substance, no matter what you think of its style.Sure, the BYD Shark 6 has been getting a ton of attention, but the LDV Terron 9 has been quietly plugs away as one of the biggest, and thus most practical in terms of tray, utes in the segment.And with 520Nm of torque at its diesel-powered disposal, it’s pretty punchy, too (as a vehicle this size probably needs to be).Our reviewers praised the space on offer in its tray, the strong value-for-money argument and its imposing street look, but were less sold on the lack of a power outlet in its tray and a sometimes lumpy power delivery.The BT-50 tends to stick out a little bit, both in the ute segment (where rough and tough is the design order of the day), and in Mazda’s own lineup, where the dual-cab ute rubs shoulders with mostly premium and polished SUVs.Early last year, Mazda addressed both those issues, deploying an Australia-led design overhaul intended to make the BT-50 “sportier and tougher”, clearly separating it from the rest of the brand’s lineup, and appealing more to traditional ute buyers.Our reviewers loved the look, the diversity of the range and the lux feel of the top-spec models, but didn’t love the too-firm suspension and the lack of a true hero model.The Chinese brand’s first-ever ute isn’t strictly its own, or at least not entirely. The MG U9 is a sibling to LDV Terron 9, which also appears on our shortlist.Our reviewers loved the U9’s interior space, especially in the impressive backseat, the ute’s sharp pricing against the established competition, and the nifty automatic step that deploys beneath the tailgate — described as “the nicest and definitely the easiest” way to climb into the tray.The active safety tech, however, impressed us less.The Mitsubishi Triton is a household name, albeit one that’s been left behind by the HiLux, Ranger and D-Max in recent years. A new generation arrived in 2024 that aimed to fix that, delivering more space, more power, more practicality and more space in the cabin.We loved the smoother drive experience, its warranty coverage (provided you service with Mitsubishi), its more modern-feeling cabin and its workhorse credentials.The less-positive notes included a clunky stop-start system and over-active safety tech.A new HiLux is big news in Australia, and while Toyota has opted to carry over a lot of key ingredients from the outgoing HiLux, they've also moved to address key complaints, like ride comfort and cabin technology, and to introduce a new look.And while our reviewers praised the updates, they also wondered whether Toyota had gone far enough in the face of new and stiff competition.The Volkswagen Amarok hasn't made quite the sales splash in Australia that its Ford Ranger relative has, but the German brand's ute has attracted plenty of praise from our reviewers, who love its style, its interior packaging and materials, and its on-road manners.Less positive is the sticker price of the high-end variants, and the sparse backseat amenities in the more affordable models. 

It’s 2026, and this year will mark a decade since Ford ended manufacturing in Australia, with Holden and Toyota also ending local production a year later. So, who’s making the cars we love now? And by who, we mean which countries?Here are the top five countries that made our favourite cars in 2025.Australia’s love of European cars is ongoing but that appears to be coming off the boil slightly with 2025 sales of cars built in Germany dropping to 54,905, down by 2639 units on the year before.Doing the heavy lifting are models such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf, along with the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLA SUVs which are made in Germany for Australia.It’s unlikely Aussies will stop treating themselves to cars from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen anytime soon, if ever. But as you will see the gap between prestige-niche (prest-niche?) and mainstream models could grow increasingly larger as Chinese offerings head further upmarket while keeping prices low.Hyundai and Kia are the big two Korean carmakers, with KGM (formerly SsangYong) struggling but still hanging on. Between the three they made 149,966 of the cars bought by Aussies in 2025. That’s down from 157,760 in 2024.Australians love models such as the Hyundai Kona and Santa Fe and Kia Sportage which are all made in Korea for our market. The drop in the number of Korean-made cars we bought could be attributed to the biggest mover in the top five manufacturers. Enter China.Number three today, number two tomorrow? Possibly sooner. The popularity of Chinese-made cars accelerated dramatically from 2024 to 2025, the overall number going from 176,159 to 221,699. Yes, an increase of 45,540 cars (+26 per cent), almost the total amount of German-made cars sold in 2025. Impressive.Chinese-made models such as the BYD Shark 6 ute, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS SUV have been snapped up by Aussies in their tens of thousands.As with any race, the battle between third and second place is often more riveting than what’s going on in first and China is breathing down the neck of Thailand right now.It might surprise you (or not at all) to know that Thailand came in second place for 2025. But only just, with 249,958 cars made for Aussies, which is down from 272,139 in 2024.What cars does Thailand make? Pretty much every ute on sale in Australia and utes are hugely popular here.Yep, from the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 to the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Toyota HiLux. Thailand is a ute powerhouse.Japan is our winner for 2025 as the country which makes more cars that we buy than any other nation. Japan made 358,981 of the cars Aussies bought and that’s up from 241,296 in 2024. Carrying the heavy end of this big number is Toyota with firm Aussie favourites such as the RAV4, Corolla, Camry, Corolla Cross, Land Cruiser and Prado.By now you know the Toyota HiLux is made in Thailand, but did you know the Kluger is built in the United States for Australia? You do now.

In the years since the likes of GWM and MG established a beachhead for Chinese automotive brands in the local new car market a slew of others have followed.Economics 101 says increased competition in a mature market will quickly stimulate activity, generating big winners and significant losers.And the reality of 2025’s vehicle registration data, compiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI VFacts) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), has graphically validated that economic theory.More than 30 of the 60 passenger car and light commercial brands monitored by VFacts and the EVC went backwards in terms of sales volume in 2025 compared to 2024.But the winners were BIG, the top two improvers experiencing spectacular growth; the overall champ almost sending the needle off the clock.Of course, some were coming off a relatively small sales base, with increasing supply and expanding model line-ups inflating percentage figures. So, for context, we’ll also note outright volume increases and only include brands that recorded full-year sales in 2024.Here are our top five countdowns for biggest new car sales winners and losers in 2025.5) Rolls-Royce: Okay, it’s 13 extra cars for 2025 over 2024, but when each one of them retails for a minimum of $700K that’s some handy incremental profit margin. Obviously, for a select few it’s a case of ‘cost-of-living crisis be damned’, with no less than eight extra Cullinan SUVs and the same number of sedans finding a home last year. 4) Mini: A big year for Mini, including a major JCW-focused refresh across the range as well as a burst of sales for the pure-electric Aceman line-up. There were substantial boosts for the Cabrio (+100 per cent), Cooper (+45.2 per cent) and Countryman (+19 per cent).   3) Polestar: It was a case of swings and roundabouts for the Swedish EV specialist with the Polestar 2 liftback dropping sales while the larger 3 and 4 SUVs expanded total numbers by close to 40 per cent. Stand by for the performance-focused Polestar 5 GT’s impact when it arrives here mid-year.2) BYD: Market appetite for BYD’s products grew in parallel with its model range, the Chinese giant’s Aussie line-up expanding from four to eight models. Newcomers like the Atto 1, Atto 2 and Sealion 7 grew its share of the pie dramatically, but the star of the show was the Shark 6 hybrid ute, racking up more than 18,000 sales for the year.1) Chery: The sharply-priced Tiggo 4 Pro small SUV has proved a smash hit for Chery with sales building steadily over 2025, to the point where it’s nipping at the heels of the category-leading Hyundai Kona and MG ZS. Adding the large Tiggo 9 large SUV also delivered handy incremental sales.5) Suzuki: Despite the addition of the Fronx small hybrid SUV mid-year (which captured a handy 1667 sales) the evergreen Japanese brand went backwards in 2025, with stocks of the discontinued Ignis dwindling, Swift sales decreasing and even the cult-favourite Jimny in decline.   4) Jaguar: Kind of a no-brainer given the brand very publicly pulled the pin on production of everything except the F-Pace SUV for 12 months in preparation for a new, more premium range ramping up through 2026 and 2027. The big surprise is sales of the E-Pace growing four per cent year-on-year despite the manufacturing halt. Must have been a few in stock.  3) Maserati: Sales volume dropping by close to a third is rarely a good thing but with the Maserati Levante SUV falling off the radar there weren’t enough Grecale SUV buyers ready to pick up the slack. The Granturismo and Grancabrio coupe and convertible GTs were also missing in action creating a low ebb for the iconic Italian. 2) Jeep: Speaking of iconic brands, Jeep has been fighting well-publicised head winds in its US home market thanks to a seemingly ill-advised move to a more premium positioning with prices to match. Despite a slight sales uptick for the Grand Cherokee as it leaves the local stage, serious falls for the Wrangler 4WD and Gladiator ute also took the wind out of Jeep’s sales here.1) Lotus: Who would have thought a brand famous for simplifying and adding lightness in producing race-ready sports cars would be punished for heading down the pure-electric path with a heavy SUV (Eletre) and big four-door GT (Emeya). Even the internal-combustion mid-engine Emira (despite a stay of production execution) dropped by more than 50 per cent.