Toyota HiLux 2026 News

The numbers for October 2026 are in, and electric vehicles have officially outsold utes, marking a change in climate for the Australian new car market. A total of 24,845 electric vehicles were sold in October, eclipsing the total ute segment, which accounted for 19,431 units across 4x2, 4x4 and those costing in excess of $100,000. Of those 19,431 utes sold, 327 of them were also fully electric, up 330 per cent from the prior year. There were 6040 electric cars and 19,478 electric SUVs sold in the same period. Electric is now the leading fuel type for cars, and the second best selling fuel type for SUVs after petrol. Electric vehicles are the second best selling fuel type in October, even eclipsing petrol and hybrids for the month, landing within 1000 units of diesel. Year-to-date the Australian market has eclipsed 1 million units, with nearly 1/3rd of them still being petrol (293,298 units) and over a quarter being diesel (258,361 units). Electric vehicles so far account for 205,436 sales, but the fuel type has grown over 175 per cent for the year, where diesel has fallen 16.3 per cent and petrol has fallen 27.6 per cent. The biggest winners in October for electric cars are the Tesla Model Y (3105 units), BYD Sealion 7 (2524 units), Geely EX5 (1789 units) and Zeekr’s 7X (1441 units). Other popular options in the market include the Geely EX2 hatchback (1350 units), Jaecoo J5 EV (1117 units) and Tesla’s Model 3 (945 units). Meanwhile the ute segment is in the midst of a downturn after years of record popularity. Winners for October include the HiLux (5954 units), Ford Ranger (4841 units), BYD Shark 6 (1843 units), Isuzu D-Max (1599 units) and Mitsubishi Triton (1056 units). In total (including 4x4 and 4x2 models) the segment is down 11.42 per cent to 176,240 units from nearly 200,000 units this time last year. The numbers make sense. Diesel has been hit particularly hard by the impact of the war in Iran, which has caused a 94 cent price rise per litre from this time last year. The average price per litre for diesel in Australia is now $2.63, a 55.6 per cent increase on the year prior. This is due to inelastic demand for the fuel type, with private and small business utes competing with the wider commercial sector for the fuel. Meanwhile petrol is currently averaging $2.35 per litre, a more modest 72 cent increase from this time last year. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, this means Australians, on average, are paying $546 more per year for fuel than they were in 2025. Combine this with the government’s current FBT exemption program and New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) forcing an influx of pure electric options to the market, and it’s a potent cocktail for automakers with competitive electric car line-ups. This has benefitted Tesla and newer Chinese brands, which largely have managed to meet the market with hybrid and fully electric vehicles that are at or near price parity with their combustion counterparts from so-called ‘legacy’ brands. A prime example is BYD’s fully electric Atto 1 city car becoming Australia’s most affordable new car earlier this year. For the ute segment specifically, BYD’s PHEV-only Shark 6 and GWM’s Cannon and Cannon Alpha which offer PHEV variants have received significant buyer attention, up 1.6 and 9.2 per cent respectively in a market which has otherwise significantly shrunk.

Toyota flexes its muscles as it dominates the top of the sales charts in October. Australians bought a little more than 100,000 new cars in the past month, but one in five of them wore a Toyota badge. The Toyota HiLux was the best selling vehicle with 5954 examples finding a new home and the RAV4 was the third best seller with 4718 registrations. These two bookended the Ford Ranger (4841). Tesla Model Y was the best of the rest with 3105, followed by the electric BYD Sealion 7 (2524), Toyota Prado (2397), Chery Tiggo 4 (2178), BYD Atto 2 (1943), BYD Shark 6 (1843) and Geely EX5 (1789). Toyota is still the dominant force in Australian new cars, but there is no other Japanese or Korean model in the top 10 sellers list. Outside of Tesla, the rest of the top 10 were Chinese brands, with BYD mimicking Toyota with three entrants in Australia’s favourite new car list. BYD sold more than 10,000 vehicles in the past month, which was a feat usually reserved for Mazda or Ford at their peak. The October sales also showed Australia’s love affair with utes and SUVs was stronger than ever, with those two body shapes making up the entirety of the top 10 list. China also maintained its top position as the biggest source of new cars in Australia. More than 35 per cent of all new cars sold were imported from China, followed by Japan (22.3 per cent), Thailand (17.9 per cent) and South Korea (9.2 per cent). Almost one in four new cars sold in October was electric, which is about three times higher than it was in the same month last year. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber said electric car sales were driven by high fuel prices and government subsidies such as the FBT tax exemption. “Consumers are making rational choices and are attracted to options that reduce their costs. Despite continuing pressure on household budgets and higher borrowing costs in 2026, the October result shows there is extraordinary resilience in new vehicle demand," said Weber. “This increase in new vehicle demand, especially BEVs, must be supported by reliable and accessible charging infrastructure that keeps pace with demand.”

In a rare move, Toyota Australia is discounting its ever-popular HiLux ute, specifically via a $4000 ‘deposit bonus’ offer on new and demonstrator versions of the mid-range SR5 model. Unsurprisingly, there are several conditions applied, the primary one being that to qualify, the vehicle must be purchased through Toyota Finance, with a minimum $10,000 in the deal. Next, the offer applies to SR5s built between August 2025 up to December 2026 and excludes the dual-motor battery electric version. Private buyers as well as Toyota Bronze and Silver fleet customers are eligible, but a purchase connected to Toyota Finance Lease Products means the bonus is a no-go. And once you clear those hurdles, the vehicle must be ordered with finance applications received between 01/09/2026 and 31/12/2026 and settled by 28/02/2027. The 4x4-only HiLux SR5 line-up is currently listed from $69,901, drive-away (in NSW) for the Double-Cab Pick-Up, with the Double-Cab Cab-Chassis, featuring 48V ‘V-Active’ mild-hybrid power, topping the line-up at $73,952, drive-away. The HiLux was the fourth best selling vehicle in the country in September this year (4455 units), down 11.7 per cent on the same month in 2025 and more than 600 sales behind the market-leading Ford Ranger ute (5062 units). But Toyota Australia is pushing towards a big finish for the year, with increased supply of key models set to boost fourth quarter sales. Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said increased vehicle stock secured earlier in the year was continuing to flow through to customer deliveries. “In June, we announced we had secured additional arrivals of some of our most popular models. “Our customers continue to demand a broad range of vehicles that meet their needs and with our increased supply, we are targeting a very strong, record fourth quarter sales for 2026,” he said.

Toyota has finally settled its long-standing lawsuit in Australia. The giant Japanese brand has agreed to pay $750 million to settle two class-action High Court cases. A defective diesel particulate filter (DPF) has impacted more than 260,000 examples of the Toyota Hilux ute, Fortuner SUV and LandCruiser Prado 4WD models built between 2015 and 2020. The issue affected 2.4-litre and 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines, where the DPF system failed to burn off diesel soot properly, leading to premature engine wear and increased fuel consumption. It also caused clogged filters, excessive white smoke and bad smells. A spokesperson for Toyota Australia said the brand apologised for issues caused for its customers and will continue to offer a free remedy. They said the settlement remains subject to court approval. “Toyota Australia has agreed to a settlement in the DPF Class Action case,” they said. “We apologise for any inconvenience or discomfort experienced by our customers. “We remain committed to assisting any impacted customers and to providing a free-of-charge remedy that has been available since 2020. “The trust of our customers has been central to Toyota Australia for more than 70 years, and we do not take that for granted.” The proceedings first commenced in 2019 where they began in the Federal Court. The plaintiffs’ argued the value of affected cars decreased as a result of the issue and that Toyota engaged in misleading conduct. Toyota has offered a free-of-charge mechanical and software fix for the DPF issue since 2020, but there were concerns this would impact any potential compensation for eligible owners. The overall compensation figures has been reduced substantially despite the court finding Toyota needed to compensate owners. The Primary Federal Court applied a 17.5 per cent value decrease, but this Full Federal Court set this aside and applied a 10 per cent figure. The High Court of Australia set aside both rulings and instead assessed value reduction using hindsight in consideration of the 2020 fix. Toyota has subsequently settled the case for $750 million, pending a final court go-ahead, compared to a previously-rumoured $2 billion figure.

There will soon be a Toyota HiLux for everyone. The Japanese brand has revealed details of its new hydrogen-powered HiLux, which will join the diesel and battery electric versions already on sale. The new Toyota HiLux hydrogen fuel-cell ute will go on sale in Europe in 2028. Toyota Australia has previously confirmed to CarsGuide the hydrogen HiLux will go on sale in Australia the same year. Toyota Europe claims the new hydrogen HiLux, dubbed HiLux FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), will have a targeted driving range of 400km and be able to tow 2500kg.  Toyota will fine tune the hydrogen HiLux at next year's Dakar Rally, where the company will race a vehicle based on the gas-powered ute. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are another form of electric vehicle.  Instead of using a battery with stored energy to power electric motors, they convert hydrogen into electricity to power the motors. Hydrogen is stored in a pressurised tank and is mixed with air, and then is pumped into the fuel cell, where a chemical reaction occurs that creates electricity and water. The electricity is stored in a small battery, which powers the electric motors that drive the wheels. The water is expelled out the tailpipe. Toyota is working on a new fuel cell to fit to trucks that would deliver the same grunt as a diesel motor. Hydrogen is the most abundant element on earth and fuel-cell vehicles don’t require an enormous battery that are made up of critical minerals. In theory this makes them cheaper. Hydrogen is extremely energy intensive to isolate, which means unless you use green energy it is not very clean, despite the lack of tailpipe emissions. There is barely any infrastructure for hydrogen cars to fill up in Australia, which means an entire network needs to be created. But they can be refilled in about five minutes, which is much quicker than a battery electric vehicle can recharge. Hydrogen is often seen as the answer to heavy vehicles rather than passenger cars. An electric semi-trailer would require an enormous battery to allow it to haul its load, but FCEV tech is seen as the answer because it is lighter and can be refilled faster. It would be easier to install hydrogen refuelling infrastructure along major highways, ports and industrial areas than roll out an urban network.

Aussie car buyers can’t get enough of the Tesla Model Y right now. Tesla’s mid-size SUV topped the sales charts for August 2026, fending off three Toyota models in the latest set of data.  Total car sales held relatively steady in August, with plenty of the usual players occupying the top spots.  Electric cars are also making an impact Down Under. Four electric-only models made featured in the top 10 last month. The Tesla Model Y surged to the top of the monthly standings once again, with 6414 sales as its new three-row Model Y L experienced sustained popularity. Combining sales of its Model 3 sedan, Tesla was the third best-selling brand in the country.  Toyota’s near 20,000 sales was the best out of any brand, and saw it occupy second, third and fourth on the standings.  Its new RAV4 continues to impress (5470), followed by the Hilux ute (4833) that now holds a healthy lead over its arch rival the Ford Ranger (2440).  Sales numbers start to drop off after the HiLux, with the Prado’s 2475 rounding out the top four.  The Ford Ranger ute experienced another decline in August 2026, falling to fifth position on the standings (2440). The Ranger has been the best-selling car in Australia for the last three consecutive years, but sales decreased in August 2026 by more than 50 per cent compared to August 2025.   The next five cars were from Chinese brands as they increased their grasp over the Australian market.  The BYD Sealion 7 mid-size SUV finished in sixth place (2213), followed by the Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV (2012), with the Geely EX5 registering 1947 examples last month.  BYD may only have had one car in the top 10, but it was the second best-selling brand in Australia in August 2026. Key Tiggo 4 rival, the GWM Haval Jolion, sold 1891 units, while the Zeekr’s 7X sold 1748 units last month.  The Isuzu D-Max took out ninth spot for the month (1708), with the Hyundai Kona finishing off the top 10 with 1688 sales. 

Toyota is in danger of being overtaken by BYD. By retreating upmarket, it also risks losing the loyalty of a generation of buyers, especially younger ones, destroying the bedrock of the brand’s success in Australia. Toyota is still the world leader and dominant force in Australia, but that could all fall apart if it gets complacent. Yes, Toyota has been number one every year since 2003, and remains the richest car company in the world after Tesla. But BYD and other Chinese brands like Chery are cutting its lunch. Toyota’s year-to-date (YTD) sales have tumbled 20 per cent, from 142,700 to 115,550 units, while market share has shrunken from 20 per cent to 16.3 per cent. In contrast, BYD’s YTD sales have jumped, from 28,000 to nearly 61,000 units while share has expanded from 3.9 per cent to 8.5 per cent. Toyota assumed its premium, hybrid-heavy strategy would prevail. But BYD’s cheaper electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEV) are both more affordable and available, while Chery, MG and others clean up in the sub-$30,000 drive-away classes that Toyota abandoned in 2024. Coincidence? Reportedly sitting on a $A96.5 billion war chest, Toyota can shore up customer loyalty by once again offering more-affordable vehicles that Australians want. Playing the long game, not the wrong game, the Japanese brand’s models already have the reputation for reliability, durability and quality required to remain number one. We understand. Today’s Yaris from $29,190 before on-road costs is measurably superior to its 2019 predecessor. But that’s a moot point for buyers who cannot stretch another $10,000-plus to own one. Here, then, are the Toyotas we reckon Australia needs right now. Although it is an all-new model in a segment Toyota has not bothered with for decades, the LandCruiser FJ is anything but ‘all-new’ underneath. Derived from the IMV architecture that is already two decades old beneath the HiLux, this compact SUV is a Thai-built body-on-frame, off-road-ready 4x4 with the Suzuki Jimny in its crosshairs. Surely that makes the LandCruiser FJ a natural for Australia? Well… no. The biggest drawback seems to be the equally ancient 2TR-FE I4 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that Toyota had to drop from the latest HiLux range due to non-compliance with our increasingly tough emissions. There is speculation galore about a hybrid alternative happening sometime in the future, and – if true – then that’s what we would expect a locally bound LandCruiser FJ to be powered by. It seems unfathomable Toyota would create an SUV with classic FJ40 retro design cues, yet not engineer a powertrain suitable for LandCruiser-obsessed Australia. As a BYD Atto 2 beater, this hybrid is a no-brainer. Japan’s second best-selling vehicle YTD after the Yaris/Yaris Cross duo on which it is based upon, Sienta is a portmanteau of siete, Spanish for ‘seven’, and ‘entertain’. And there-in lays this Toyota’s appeal. Essentially a Yaris MPV that majors on packaging, it features sliding doors and space for up to seven (hence the name), with the optional third-row seating ingeniously dropping underneath the middle bench for an instant big cavity. Along with Sienta’s eye-catching Fiat Panda-esque design and capable Yaris underpinnings, it is little wonder both hipsters and artificial-hip buyers alike have fallen for the tall-boy Toyota’s charms. Finally, a growing army of ex-Japan used imports here is further proof of concept. Developed and built by Toyota sub-brand Daihatsu (which markets it as Rocky – a tiny but tough off-roader in the style of the Suzuki Jimny), the Raize would slip in as an entry-level high-riding crossover. At round four metres long, this chunky, high-riding, monocoque-bodied urban crossover employs a unique, lower-cost architecture to help keep prices down in the South East Asian region, without scrimping on safety tech. This would make it ideal as a sub-$30,000 light SUV targeting the likes of the BYD Atto 1, Hyundai Venue and Mahindra XUV 3XO. Engine options include a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol or 1.2-litre hybrid version. A podium seller in Japan this year, the Raize is another used import from appearing on Australian roads, and it’s not difficult to see why. The original Prius of 2001 was a toe-in-the-water exercise in Australia. Its 2003 and 2009 successors proved to be successful brand builders as hybrid pioneers. But the 2016 redesign was so insectoid in appearance that buyers were repelled en-masse, despite being the first of the vastly-improved TNGA-platform Toyotas available here. That’s why the company passed on the fifth iteration locally, but what subsequently surfaced remains one of the most beautiful modern hatchbacks of this decade. Nowadays, with the dramatic uptake of PHEV as well as hybrid vehicles, Toyota admits it is gunning for the Prius’ return as a result, but it may take a while yet. Great design is timeless and, even from $40,000 as a BYD Seal 6 PHEV rival, the latest Prius would attract plenty of non-traditional Toyota buyers. It seems inevitable that a Grand Kluger will eventually appear in Australia, but when is the big question. Built in the USA as the Grand Highlander, this is a larger and longer take on the existing Kluger/Highlander model that it has essentially usurped. Born to battle the ultra-successful Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade in North America, the grandest of Toyota’s on-road SUVs is a far-roomier – and prettier – big family hauler as a consequence. It is also soon to be joined by an unrelated, all-electric SUV taking over the regular Highlander name and production line – a decision that was clearly made before the current, anti-EV US administration came into power. This mean the days of the current Kluger as we know it in Australia seem to be numbered, with no hybrid replacement in sight – except for a right-hand drive version of the Grand Highlander. The perfect foil for the BYD Sealion 8 PHEV!

Toyota's new and smaller ute won't be the HiLux Champ we've seen in Asian markets, but will instead be a new car-based tray-back designed to take on models like the Ford Maverick. That's the news out of the USA, where a new Toyota patent has at last shed light on what to expect from the incoming baby HiLux. The patent is for a new ute-like suspension mounting for a monocoque chassis, which suggests the brand is devising ways to ensure its car-based ute still delivers on capability. Unlike car suspension, which isn't designed to take heavy loads, Toyota has designed a mounting system that spreads the load in the tray. Billed as a "strainer", the system distributes the load in the tray to balance out the weight, while structural changes to the sheet metal and to the components in the suspension further beef up their capability.  It's the surest sign yet that Toyota's baby HiLux is coming, and Toyota in Australia already has its hand up for it. While the Champ has been ruled out as non-compliant with Australia's standards, this new and more modern ute could be right on the money. Currently codenamed Project 150D, the new ute is reportedly being readied for a launch in Brazil in the first half of 2027. When it does, the ute will debut Toyota's first tray-backed plug-in hybrid powertrain, using a system taken from the Prius. That would pair a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors for a total system output of 166kW, while the e-CVT is joined by a second electric motor to enable eFour all-wheel drive. Asked if the Project 150D was made globally available, Toyota Australia would have its hand up for it, Ray Munday, Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing at Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, replied: "We'd certainly look into it". "If it was the right product at the right price, we believe there is some demand for that here. But it's always got to be about the right product at the right price. Otherwise, it won't be successful," he said.

Australians are still buying cars in greater quantity than ever before, despite tough economic conditions. The new vehicle market recorded its strongest ever July result off the back of the same feat in June.  Toyota has had a resurgent month up against its Chinese challengers BYD and Chery, led by its new-generation RAV4 SUV.  Electric car sales are also showing no signs of slowing down in Australia, accounting for more than one-in-five cars sold.  Chinese brands are becoming a staple high up the sales charts in Australia, with many budget-focused models continuing to drive sales.  Toyota achieved 20,409 registrations for July, more than double what BYD managed. The Japanese juggernaut has taken out the top-two spots for July with its RAV4 family SUV and HiLux ute. The RAV4 has shot up the sale charts to take out pole position, with 5564 units, wrestling back against early supply issues plaguing the new version of the hugely popular family model.  Plug-in hybrid variants of the RAV4 have received some serious attention from buyers, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the SUV's total sales. Toyota's HiLux ute was not far behind, boasting 4721 units and overtaking the Ford Ranger (4042) in July.  The brand also experienced its best month in 2026 for its Land Cruiser Prado and 300 Series 4WDs. Fully-electric cars represented more than one-fifth of all sales in July, with rising fuel prices continuing to influence buyer choices. The Tesla Model Y registered another month as the best-selling EV in Australia, with 4644 units in July between its five- (2215) and six-seater (2429) variants according to EV Council data.  BYD’s Sealion 7 mid-size SUV was another strong performer, with 2548 examples sold last month, keeping its tag as the brand’s best-selling model for another month. The Geely EX5 (2034) made another appearance in the top 10 best sellers, followed by the Zeekr 7X (1892).  The Chery Tiggo 4 (2156) small SUV has continued its run as one of the best-selling small SUVs, holding off competition from the Hyundai Kona (2096) and Mazda CX-5 (1836). BYD held onto second position in the overall sales standings for July (7857), despite a noticeable drop-off from June.  In addition to the Sealion 7, its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute registered another confident registration figure, with 1216 units, along with the Atto 2 small SUV (1214). Chery, Geely, GWM and MG all made the top 10 best-selling brands for the month.

The new Toyota HiLux might have copped heat for not actually being all that new, and for its new design language, but that won't hurt sales, with Toyota forecasting another bumper year for its trusty workhorse. The new HiLux sports a new look, new rear tray steps and very welcome new cabin tech, but shares most of its important bits (its engine, its gearbox, its tray dimensions etc) carried over from the model it replaced. All of that in a segment that is shrinking, even as it's saturated with new, mostly Chinese players like the JAC T9, BYD Shark 6 and incoming Chery Stockman.  "But with all that, the fact is that HiLux is still doing over 50,000," says Toyota Australia's VP of sales, marketing and franchise operations, John Pappas. "And yes, it's crowded. It's hard to count how many of those options there are. But HiLux is still doing really well for us." The HiLux is down on numbers so far this year, dropping around 14 per cent over the first six months of 2026 to 22,607 deliveries. That means Toyota is forecasting real growth over the second half of the year to break the 50,000 barrier. That would put it about on par with its 2025 total of 51,297, but likely down by several thousand on its 2024 tally of 53,499. Part of the issue, Pappas says, is supply, with Toyota Australia securing increased HiLux production capacity for our market, part of an extra 10,000 vehicles headed to our shores to meet range-wide demand. "We have very strong demand on Hilux, and we've been able to secure more production as part of this 10,000 in order to satisfy that demand," Pappas says. "It's our number-one selling vehicle still." Also on the table to supercharge demand is the return of the HiLux GR Sport, which was removed from the lineup for this generation. Pappas won't be drawn on dates, but says the HiLux hero is on the cards for a comeback. "We always look at those things. I love the GR Sport concept,of course. The more of those we can bring to life, the better. Nothing to announce at this stage,but we definitely would love to see it," he says.