BYD News

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.   

There’s a new king in the global electric vehicle (EV) sales race.China’s BYD has officially dethroned Tesla as the best-selling EV carmaker in the world based on sales data from 2025.BYD claims to have sold a total of 2.26 million EVs during 2025, which is up 27.9 per cent year-on-year.For context, Tesla claims to have sold a total of 1.64 million cars during 2025, which is down 8.3 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting BYD’s EV sales now make up just under half of the Chinese carmaker’s total vehicle sales. A total of 2.29 million BYD plug-in hybrids (PHEV) were sold during 2025, which is down 7.9 per cent year-on-year.During 2025 BYD sold a total of 4.6 million vehicles globally, including 57,000 commercial vehicles like buses and trucks.BYD’s sales rise comes as Tesla growth has slowed due to incremental updates, changes or additions to existing models, weaker demand for the Cybertruck than originally projected, plus a slower rollout of its robotaxi service.Additionally, it’s likely Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s brief foray into US politics and aligning himself with US President Donald Trump soured the relationship some existing Tesla buyers had with the company.Despite this, Tesla rolled out its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' semi-autonomous driving software to its vehicles in Australia during 2025. It was the first right-hand drive market to do so.Locally, full 2025 vehicle sales data hasn’t been released yet, however until November BYD has sold a total of 45,672 vehicles which is up 147.3 per cent year-on-year.The company’s best-selling vehicle in Australia is the Shark 6 PHEV dual-cab ute with a total of 16,398 examples sold until the end of November, followed by the Sealion 7 mid-size electric SUV.Tesla on the other hand sold a total of 26,271 vehicles in Australia until the end of November, which is down 24.4 per cent year-on-year.Although the Model Y mid-size electric SUV is still the best-selling EV in Australia with a total of 20,241 examples sold until end-November, sales of the Model 3 electric sedan tanked in comparison.Only 6030 examples of the Model 3 were sold until the end of November, which is down 60.7 per cent year-on-year. This is one of the steepest sales declines in terms of outright sales volume in Australia during 2025.Looking to 2026, BYD appears set to extend its lead and potentially become a top-three best-selling brand. It has a number of new vehicles launching in Australia, plus its new premium (and separate) Denza brand.It’s unclear what Tesla has in the pipeline for Australia during 2026. It just launched the updated Model Y Performance locally which is made in Germany unlike the rest of the local line-up which is made in China.The company has been rolling out the stripped-back Standard versions of its Model 3 and Model Y to more markets and it’s unclear whether Australia is part of that plan.

BYD's ultra-luxury Yangwang brand has at last been confirmed for Australia, with the brand finalising launch timing for its Porsche-rivalling sub-brand.

China is about to ban a popular feature on new cars.Retractable door handles on cars will be banned in China from January 2027, according to a public notice from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).Under the draft rules, cars will be required to have mechanical emergency releases for exterior and interior door handles. Exterior door handles must be positioned within accessible areas on the door or door frame. For interior side doors, they must have at least one mechanical interior handle, and a minimum of one interior handle must be visible to occupants.Many manufacturers had been adopting retractable door handles on their vehicles, with it quickly becoming the latest premium gimmick.There are also some other more practical benefits such as aiding aerodynamics by reducing drag when the car is moving. Despite the points in favour, there have been several safety concerns raised, including a fatal fire-related incident in China recently. In situations where electric vehicles become submerged or catch alight, the electrics can malfunction and halt the operation of any electric door handles, leaving occupants trapped. This latest ban will require manufacturers to rethink their approach to door handle design if they want to continue selling their cars in China.This will likely have knock-on effects for Australia given it's an important export market for many Chinese carmakers.Among the many carmakers utilising electric door handles are Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, as well as plenty of Chinese competitors. Similar concerns around electric door handle safety have also been raised in Australia.The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has adapted its safety testing protocols from 2026, placing emphasis on electric door handles. “Increasingly popular electrically-operated door handles – which sit flush with bodywork when not in use – should remain operable after any crash,” a press release read. ANCAP’s official 2026 changes brochure expands on this. “We’re asking that cars with electric door handles – those powered by the cars’ 12 volt auxiliary battery – provide the ability for all side door handles to be in the extended/ready-to-open position immediately after a crash,” it reads. “They’ll also need to remain operable from the inside, or provide a manual override, so that occupants can exit, or first-responders can gain access inside the vehicle after a crash.”

It will come as no surprise that 2025 was a massive year for new-model launches. The sheer number of new cars arriving in Australian showrooms has been unprecedented.

BYD is plotting a huge move that could make it just about unstoppable in Australia, with the brand's top executives confirming a local ride and handling project is coming that will properly tailor the Chinese brand's vehicles for our market.

Why EVs are a smarter option than they get credit for

New car reviews are the backbone of CarsGuide’s offering to its readers and viewers. The aim is to provide in-market buyers with the independent information they need to make an informed purchase decision and interested browsers with enough detail to satisfy their curiosity.

Who will break first - legacy brands or struggling newcomers?

There’s something about spotting a Honda S660, Subaru Sambar or Suzuki Hustler in local traffic. A pang of regret that we’re denied mainstream access to the Kei car smorgasbord on offer in Japan.