EV News

One of Australia's most popular budget-focused EVs has received some special treatment.  MG has released a special edition variant of its MG4 Urban hatchback in Australia.  The Special Edition is available with a $33,990 drive-away price tag, which is $1000 more than the usual range-topping Essence 54 grade ($32,990 until December 31, 2026), both reflecting $2000 cashback until 31 December 2026.  There will only be 750 units of this limited edition MG4 Urban available in Australia, with order books already open for buyers.  The MG4 Urban tackles the busy affordable EV segment with rivals the BYD Dolphin ($28,888 until December 15, 2026) and GAC Aion UT ($31,990).  This new MG4 Urban variant stands out from its siblings with an exclusive “Ice Blue Metallic” paint and a contrasting black roof. Buyers can also choose from a “Diamond Red” colour that was only available on the base Essence 43. The standard Essence 54 grade is exclusively available with a “York White” paint, while the base Essence 43 has seven colours to choose from, including “Diamond Red”.  The Special Edition sports gloss black side mirrors to match the roof, while inside, there’s integrated ambient lighting in the door panels.  Otherwise, this special edition grade gets the same gear as on the top-spec Essence 54 grade.  This includes a single electric motor, producing 118kW and 250Nm, along with a 54kWh battery, offering 405km of driving range, according to WLTP standards.  The interior features a 12.8-inch central multimedia display and 7.0-inch digital driver display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.  The MG4 Urban hit Aussie showrooms in April 2026 as a cheaper, front-wheel drive alternative to the rear-wheel drive MG4.  It’s MG’s best-selling electric car in Australia, outselling its MG4 sibling and key competitor the BYD Dolphin. “The MG4 EV Urban has proven to be a popular choice with Australian buyers, and we think this Special Edition will build on that appeal,” MG Australia Marketing Director Dimitri Andreatidis said.  “It’s already a great car, so we’ve added a few distinctive touches to make it even more appealing.”

Battery makers have only scratched the surface with what is possible from electric car cells, but an all-new type of battery could be the holy grail of energy sources. Dubbed lithium-air batteries, this new type of cells could deliver a driving range of more than 2000km and energy density of five times more than the game-changing solid-state batteries. This new technology is still in its infancy but CATL — the world’s largest  electric car battery maker - has been working behind the scenes and has reportedly claimed lithium-air batteries are CATL's future strategic direction. Conventional lithium-ion batteries are a closed system with lithium-ion moving between the positive and negative electrodes when charging and discharging.  Lithium-air batteries are open and use oxygen from the air to react with lithium. This creates a chemical reaction that creates energy. This reaction is claimed to be reversible, with ‘charging’ used to break the lithium and oxygen molecules apart, with the oxygen released back into the air. This means they are a lot lighter than regular batteries because they use oxygen gathered from an external source rather than an element contained in the closed environment. This leads to a higher energy density per cell and fantastical theoretical driving range claims. On paper this means they can hold up to 3500Wh per kg, which is 14 times more than standard Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) batteries and more than five times more potent than even the densest solid-state battery targets. There are several hurdles the cells face according to Chinese reports. These include the size of the prototype cells that make them unsuitable for vehicles. Air isn’t just made up of oxygen and can cause side reactions. They aren’t as efficient as current batteries, with lots of energy lost as heat during charging. For now these cells are only theoretical, with no production versions to speak of. That puts them at least a decade away.  Solid-state batteries started to make noise at the start of this decade, but still have not become a reality.  So don’t expect these lithium-air cells to magically appear overnight, but one can dream of an EV with 2000km of range and with little need for many unsustainable raw materials.

Hyundai has pulled the plug on its latest critical hit out of Europe, and at the 11 hour it seems. On course for a local launch early next year, the all-new Ioniq 3 electric vehicle (EV) has been sidelined due to the cost of sourcing the vehicle out of Türkiye. According to Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) Product Development Manager, Tim Rodgers, the project priced itself out of contention for our market. “The reality is, the last few years, we've been studying what Ioniq 3 could look like in our market,” he explained. “(But) the global landscape has changed quite a lot, not just the market, but even just logistics and transport. Lots of things have changed, and that's kind of dictated the decision for us in a lot of ways.” Unveiled in April at Milan Design Week in Italy, the Ioniq 3 is about the size of a Toyota Yaris, but with the interior space of a Toyota Corolla due to the packaging advantages of EVs. This fact would have given HMCA the opportunity to pitch the five-door supermini as a de facto replacement for the i30, especially as both vehicles were designed and engineered expressly to appeal to European consumers. The Ioniq 3 is also the fraternal twin to the Kia EV2, and shares variations of the same E-GMP 400-volt architecture, though finding two hatchbacks from the same DNA pool that look so different from each other would be a challenge. Broadly stepping into the shoes of the now-discontinued Rio hatchback, the EV2 is also a non-starter for Australia, as a result of its manufacturing base being in Slovenia. The company has indicated in the past that the successful EV3 small SUV is more 'right-sized' for this market. With the initial launch drives recently completed in Europe, the Hyundai has been positively received by the European press, with many reports praising the Ioniq 3’s comparatively keen pricing (for an EV), distinctive styling and or solid dynamic characteristics. If you like what you see, there is still a glimmer of hope, however. Though off the table for now, the striking Hyundai electric hatchback may eventually get a reprieve in Australia, should our currency strengthen, exchange rates improve and the geo-political climate settle down a bit in the Middle East. Watch this space.

Electric vehicles are hot. Last month, almost one in four registrations were EVs. That’s more than three times the rate from the previous October. Whether it is because of soaring fuel prices, more government incentives, greater choice or better charging infrastructure, Australia currently sits in seventh place for EV sales, up from 19 last year. But not everybody wants a BYD Atto 1 Essential, even at $19,990 drive-away. And not everybody can afford (or wants) a Tesla Model Y (from $59,000), Zeekr 7X (from $58,000), BYD Sealion 7 (from $55,000) or Geely EX5 (from $42,000). Luckily, the early adopters from the first half of this decade that took the plunge when sales of EVs were just a trickle have moved to newer pastures, presumably with bigger batteries and better range. Here are our top six cheap used EV buys under $25,000. Note that while all can be had with fewer than 80,000km, none come with a spare wheel. Boo! Don’t laugh. The MX-30 makes a great used-car buy, especially if you’re seeking something different, refined and luxurious. Revealed in 2019, the MX-30 was essentially a coupe version of the far-more successful CX-30 small SUV. The thinking behind the E35 EV version was sound: a small, “right-sized” battery that traded long-distance range for faster charging, lighter weight for optimised efficiency and better driveability. With just 200km of WLTP range as a result, buyers stayed away. Barely more than 100 units were said to be sold in Australia. Low-range aside, the Mazda stands out with off-beat styling, featuring clap-hand doors, RX-8 sports car style. With a motor up front driving the front wheels, the MX-30 EV’s performance is modest but ultra-smooth, the steering’s sweet and the ride is supple. And there’s even decent practicality in the beautifully crafted interior, once you get past the fiddly rear-hinged back doors and hemmed-in (though sufficiently spacious) back seat. The boot is reasonably roomy, too. All local MX-30 E35 models are in Astina specification, meaning high equipment levels, including Bose audio, sat-nav, a leatherette/suede-like upholstery with beautiful textile trim, a head-up display, sunroof and a full suite of driver-assist safety for a five-star crash-test rating. Most people bought the far-cheaper G20e instead, with fewer frills and a conventional 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine version. Today, with a $25,000 budget able to secure a clean, fairly low-kilometre example of Mazda’s first global EV, the smart money’s on the MX-30 E35. A quality, quirky curio whose time has finally come. Still arguably one of China’s most accomplished cars, the MG4 was designed and engineered in the UK for European tastes, and it shows. Leagues ahead of the brand’s awful original ZS EV SUV, this small five-door hatch isn’t just about sleek good looks. Underneath is a sophisticated, dedicated EV architecture, with the electric motor over the back axle, driving the rear wheels. At our price point, battery sizes will be either the base 51kWh (350km WLTP) or mid-spec 64kWh (452km WLTP). Clever aerodynamics really help with efficiency here. In keeping with the MG’s sporty past, acceleration is punchy, the steering sharp, the handling direct and the ride firm but forgiving. This is a spirited car to chuck around. The big interior is pared back but functional, though the climate control’s lack of physical buttons is frustrating, while the back seat is fairly basic. Yet, falling within our budget, the MG4 is a smart, fun drive that has yet to be matched by newer Chinese alternatives. Great value from about $22,000. Sadly not the ground-breaking Ioniq 5, but the earlier, five-door hatchback series that looked like a 2010s Toyota Prius. Available in a hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and Electric guises, the original Ioniq was a taster of the formidable global presence that the Hyundai Motor Group would become heading into this decade. Though the Series 1 Electric was only launched in Australia in late 2018 (two years after the rest of the world), we’re only interested in the Series II facelift from late 2019, since it gained substantial improvements, including a water-cooled battery pack than the earlier air-cooled item, promising dramatically better longevity. Range from a larger battery (up from 28kWh to 38.3kWh) jumped up from 204km to 311km WLTP, aided by single-pedal regenerative braking driving, whilst performance aspects were also updated, along with a now far-more modern interior. Unexciting to look at and smooth but dull to drive, the AE2 Ioniq Electric nonetheless makes for an accessible, versatile, dependable and low-cost EV runabout. Prices start from about $20,000. Much the same applies to the related first-gen Kona Electric small SUV of the same era. However, the small SUV brought a larger, 64kWh extended range battery option, which pushed the WLTP figure out to a 449km in the first versions and a handy 484km in the facelifted Series II models from mid-2021. That typically adds about 20 per cent to the price, just making our budget cap. Cheaper as a used car nowadays than the older BMW i3 that donated some of its progressive EV technology, the Cooper SE is a cracker of a runabout. A gutsy (135kW) electric motor delivers plenty of power to the front wheels, while the terrific little chassis (derived from the petrol previous-gen Mini) is tuned for zippy agility and fun. Underneath is a compact 32.6kWh battery, providing a sufficient 233km of WLTP range. As with all BMW-era Mini three-door hatchbacks, the Cooper SE’s snug four-person interior is a mish-mash of ‘60s-era retro pastiche and high-tech luxury, with bucket seats up front, a tight second row and tiny boot area. This is about as enjoyable as EVs get at our price point, starting from about $23,000 nowadays. Building on from the historic ZE0 original that became history’s first modern production EV (as well as its best-ever seller until the Tesla Model 3 usurped it by the end of last decade), the second-gen Leaf drives better than its homely styling suggests. Nissan’s experience and smarts translates to an easy, friendly and likeable EV. WLTP range is reasonable at 270km, but the sportier and better equipped Leaf e+ ratchets that up to 385km. It’s a shame that the battery remained air-cooled, meaning it may suffer from premature degradation in hot climates. Yet, from comfortably under $20,000 for a low-kilometre example, the Japanese EV deserves a look-in if it’s a cheap EV you seek.

Is Range Rover planning to go even more upmarket and price out a big chunk of its current buyers? It sure seems that way, with Range Rover’s global boss announcing the removal of the brand’s most affordable models - the Evoque and Velar - from its line-up. Welcome to a new era where high end vehicles could become even more out of reach for most. The news of the Range Rover Evoque and Velar’s end came during an interview Range Rover boss Martin Limpert was giving to British motoring publication Autocar. “The Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar will not be replaced when production of the pair ends later this decade,” Limpert confirmed to Autocar. Not replacing them is a seriously strong clue as to Range Rover’s business model for the coming decade. The 2010s and 2020s saw luxury brands such Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and even Range Rover offer affordable entry models into their ranges. For Mercedes-Benz it was models like the CLA small sedan and GLA small SUV for about $60K - expensive for a small car, cheap for a Benz. It was a great way to top up the brand’s annual takings, with the larger more expensive models bringing home the big bucks. Range Rover did the same with the Evoque and Velar. It was a prestige badge on a budget - in this case less than $100K, which is lots, but compared to the $300K starting price of a full-fat Range Rover, it’s nothing. Sales of the Evoque and Velar, which launched in 2014 and 2017 respectively, have tanked in recent years.   The Evoque’s sales fell 78 per cent from a peak of 2732 in 2016 to 614 in 2025. Why did this happen? I think you know why. Well, I think I know why, and it starts with BYD and ends in Zeekr. Yep, one of the common bits of the feedback we’re getting from our readers is that the most desirable cars now for those looking to spend $50-60K are models such as the BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X.  Chinese cars are not only fitted with the best electric vehicle tech but they’re now among the most beautifully styled high ending things on the road. The upcoming Range Rover GT is a low-slung-wagon-styled SUV and it will be fully electric, but at an expected $175,000 and an arrival date of 2028, it’s probably too much and too late for previous Evoque buyers who are now in a Zeekr. It’s not like Range Rover should care. The strategy of having a car for (almost) everyone is dead - the Chinese have thwarted that plan, so the way forward is to go where those brands can’t - stratospherically high end. Range Rover knows this and will retreat to make big money through the models its core base is buying. Range Rover’s rugged sister brand Land Rover will offer some affordability with models like the Defender Sport. That’s because the off-road niche of Defender is protected by a whole lot of iconic nostalgia that Evoque and Velar don’t have, plus there aren’t any Chinese models that can do what a Defender can with the iconography to go with it. So it’s a strategic retreat by Range Rover out of an area it can’t compete in and doubling down in the places the Chinese brands can’t get them. What will happen to the Land Rover Discovery model? Sales for this once hugely popular model started at a peak of 2470 in 2016 when the new-generation model launched in Australia and fell by 83.3 per cent in a decade with just 413 sales in 2025. The result is worse than Evoque’s numbers for the same period and yet JLR has confirmed work is underway on a new-gen Discovery. Discovery is also a separate sub brand along with Range Rover and Defender. So along with Discovery there’s also the smaller Discovery Sport.  JLR obviously still thinks there’s a place for the Discovery brand, which it presumably sees filling the role of more family focussed suburban duties, while Range Rover fulfils the glamorous high society ones and Land Rover is for the muddy fields. And that leaves no place for an Evoque or Velar, and not really any budget focussed entry point into what will become a more exclusive group. But that’s probably exactly what JLR wants - exclusivity. For now other prestige brands are still selling more affordable models but as consumers migrate to new brands from China they may follow JLR’s move to higher priced ground to save themselves.

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.

Australia’s new car market is at a “crisis point”, according to the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA).  The AADA has warned dealers are losing money due to the influx of new car brands. AADA Chief Executive Officer James Voortman said Australia needs to stop letting new car brands launch here. “Dealers are facing intense competition, relentless pressure to take more stock and rising business costs. Too often, they are left to absorb the financial consequences of decisions made elsewhere in the supply chain,” Voortman said.  “There are simply too many manufacturers operating in this market and we need a pause on further car brands entering this market. At a time when other countries are trying to slow the rate of change and number of brands, Australia is allowing unfettered access to this market.” New car brands continue to launch in Australia, growing from 39 in 2021 to 67 in 2026, with more on the way in the coming months.  AADA has set out a 10-point plan, with recommendations for the government, suppliers and manufacturers.  The association wants the government to consider a capped licensing regime and pause the entry of any new brands into Australia.  It has called for the implementation of proposed dealer protections to be fast-tracked and liability of Australian Consumer Law breaches to be repositioned onto manufacturers, with new brand entries paused until this has been achieved.  It also wants at least a 12-month price freeze to guard against “severe pressure” on dealer profitability.  Among the changes for manufacturers is the agreement of realistic sales targets, allowing dealers to decline excess stock without facing commercial penalties.  AADA has previously raised concerns around long car repair and refund wait times in Australia as well as a "wave of litigation" when EV batteries need replacement outside of warranty. Australia’s market provides a near-perfect environment for new car brands to launch, because they are not subjected to major tariffs or prohibitive fees. It’s seen brands from around the world, especially China, flood into Aussie showrooms offering buyers very competitive prices.  Many Chinese brands operate with extensive sub-brand networks. There could be as many as nine Chery sub-brands in Australia by the end of 2027, while BYD and GWM also continue to actively add to their line-ups. These brands have capacity to produce copious amounts of stock, but selling them isn’t as simple a task, according to Voortman.  “Pushing excessive stock onto dealers is fuelling a race to the bottom. Aggressive discounting erodes margins and devalues vehicles while dealers carry the financing costs and risk of unsold vehicles,” Voortman said. “Strong headline vehicle sales can conceal serious financial distress at the businesses making those sales. Dealers cannot keep absorbing higher costs, lower margins and greater stock risk indefinitely.” This news follows reports that some Chinese brands are losing money on cars sold. Hyundai Australia Chief Executive Officer and President Don Romano told CarsGuide in July 2026 BYD’s approach to the Australian market wasn’t sustainable.  "I think if I were to lose money and dump cars, and if my stock price was down 40 per cent, I could do the same," Romano said.  "I think there's a big difference between growth at any cost and growth organically, so I'm not surprised. I would be if it was sustainable.”

A very busy 12 months approaches for GWM, with 14 new car launches planned for 2027. One of those launches will see the company’s Wey brand launch, a premium offering to rival BYD’s Denza or Geely’s Zeekr. The Wey G9, a people mover positioned against the Denza D9 and Xpeng X9, will likely be first with SUVs to follow. With Wey joining Haval, Tank, Ora and Cannon in GWM’s line-up, the brand insists it won't follow rival Chery and saturate the market with sub-brands, according to GWM Australia Managing Director Andrew Gao. “We insist on ‘one GWM’,” he CarsGuide. “Our strategy is different… We will not have five or six or seven or 10 networks. No.” Head of Communications and Marketing Steve Maciver added some clarity around branding - everything will still fall under the GWM banner and in the GWM  “We’re trying to base everything around a structure which is GWM.  “We're trying to build an identity and a role to each of those sub brands which makes sense, gives us delineation, but also connects back to GWM. And there's still some work to be done on that.” After the Wey G9, it’s likely we’ll see the Wey V9X SUV land, though timing on that is unclear.  At 5.3m long and with a six-seat configuration, the V9X is focused on moving passengers in top-level comfort. In other large model news, GWM is also set to bolster its line-up with a new large, seven-seat SUV, likely the Haval H10 that was described as “very appealing” as a prospect for Australia by Maciver. The new Haval H7 is also available as a seven-seater, though its mid-size categorisation would limit GWM’s extra market share. The Ora brand is also set to expand with new models based on the Ora 5’s platform - a larger SUV (confirmed as the Ora 5 Plus) and likely a smaller hatch will join the small SUV. GWM has also confirmed a new mid-size SUV in the form of the Jolion Max, which is on the smaller end of the category and will be available in EV or PHEV guise. That will arrive in Q1 along with the Ora 5 Plus. GWM’s aims to become a top-five brand in terms of sales volume in Australia, and eventually top-three, aren’t based in dominating any single segment - despite GWM’s five mid-size SUVs in the line-up from 2027. “Regardless of who we're taking share from, if we want to become the top-five and then the top-three brand that we aspire to be, we're going to have to take share from those above us,” said Maciver. “We're not targeting domination in any one segment. We think we've got a chance to take much more share in many segments.  “If you think about medium SUV and you think about dual-cab ute, if we want to be, ultimately, a top-three brand… driving share in those two segments is absolutely crucial. “We think we've got the right weapons, the right value, and the right tech to deliver volume there. But that's on us.  “We haven't delivered and realised that volume yet, and that's one of the big tasks for us for next year.”

Aussie buyers have a new favourite passenger car, and it’s an EV.  The Tesla Model Y has had a monster 2026, but it’s now claimed the scalp of one of Australia’s stalwarts.  The Model Y has shifted 39,035 units up to October 2026, outselling the Toyota RAV4’s 35,927. It marks a sustained change in Australia’s new car buying market, with an EV claiming the best-selling passenger car spot.  With 2026 edging towards its conclusion, it looks like the Model Y will solidify the historic feat.  Soaring fuel prices and increasing fuel insecurity have encouraged many buyers to make the jump to an electric car, and the Model Y has been at the forefront for this transition. The Electric Vehicle Council’s ‘State of EVs’ report found one in every four cars sold were either electric or plug-in hybrid.  The Model Y has broken record after record in Australia.  In May 2026, it became the first-ever fully-electric car to claim the title for the best-selling car in a single month, toppling the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux diesel ute duopoly.  In June 2026, it achieved the highest monthly sales since the Holden Commodore in the early 2000s with 8072 deliveries.  Tesla also added more variety to its Model Y line-up when it released a six-seater variant called the Model Y L in March 2026.  This three-row Tesla prompted substantial buyer interest and outsold the standard two-row Model Y in July and August 2026.  The Japanese brand launched its next-generation Toyota RAV4 in Australia in March 2026, but it wasn’t smooth sailing to get to that point.  Wait times on new Toyotas have been a major talking point in Australia recently, especially for popular models like the RAV4.  The brand is seemingly still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns that ravaged its supply chains.  The much-anticipated new-generation RAV4 suffered from significant delays of almost a year, partly caused by a slow production process.  The Model Y has had no such issues.  The majority of Model Y units are built in China using high-tech gigacasting to mould large pieces of the bodywork into a single piece instead of slower individual welding.  Tesla also delivers to Australia on a quarterly cadence, which has allowed them to keep up with increased demand.  Toyota’s sales dipped substantially in the first half of 2026, with the new RAV4 holding the key to the juggernaut turning its fortunes around.  Buyers tend to hold off buying a current generation of a car when the new model is just around the corner. This proved to be the case for the RAV4, with the SUV down more than 70 per cent year-on-year up to March 2026.  The RAV4 has since surged up the sales charts, but it’s been unable to hold off the unstoppable Model Y that keeps getting more popular. 

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.”