WhichCar

These Are Australia's Top 10 Best-Selling Cars in 2023

It's no surprise that Australians love the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, but rising EV demand and supply constraints write an interesting tale for the nation's top 10 best-selling cars

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The battle for dominance between the HiLux and Ranger is heating up.

VFACTS new-car sales data shows the Ford Ranger was the top-selling vehicle in Australia last month, after being outplayed by the HiLux in June.

In July, it was a strong lead for the Ranger, with 5143 sales – deliveries, not orders – for the 4x2 and 4x4 models, versus 4670 overall for the HiLux.

While attention is always focused on the top players in the Australian new-vehicle market, there's plenty of competition elsewhere – especially in the top 10.

Year-to-date, the all-electric Tesla Model Y is strong, becoming Australia's best-selling mid-size SUV and electric vehicle – and the fourth-highest car overall – with 17,332 registrations.

What are the most popular cars in Australia in 2023, so far?

Here's the top 10 at a glance. Continue reading for a more detailed explainer!

  1. Toyota HiLux
  2. Ford Ranger
  3. MG ZS
  4. Tesla Model Y
  5. Toyota RAV4
  6. Isuzu D-Max
  7. Mazda CX-5
  8. Mitsubishi Outlander
  9. Hyundai i30
  10. Hyundai Tucson

The rundown

Here is a broad look at the top-10 vehicles sold in Australia year-to-date, and a table for the top-20 vehicles.

NOTE: The data below includes year-to-date sales, not individual months. This story and leaderboard will be updated each month in 2023.

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Toyota HiLux

Australia's top-selling vehicle for the past seven years continues to sell well, with the HiLux remaining in first place.

Year-to-date, 4x4 examples account for 25,585 sales of 32,763 in total, despite extended wait times, the forthcoming GR Sport flagship, and a next-generation due within the next three years.

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Ford Ranger

The third-generation Ford Ranger – launched in mid-2022 – is proving a hit with buyers.

It has the potential to overtake the Toyota HiLux as Australia's top-selling vehicle in 2023, provided Ford has enough supply and strong customer demand continues throughout the year.

It is already the top-selling 4x4, with 28,448 units shifted year-to-date – rising to 31,884 when 4x2 and 4x4 sales are combined – positioning it with a healthy sales buffer neck-and-neck with its perennial rival.

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MG ZS

China's MG ZS continues to lead the popular small SUV segment due to its popularity with fleet companies and affordable pricing.

Year-to-date, 17,431 examples of the ZS – including the ZST and ZS EV – have been registered in Australia (▲ from 11,609).

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Tesla Model Y

The all-electric Tesla Model Y has climbed from 10th in May to fourth last month, with 3330 sales – down from a record 5560 in June.

Year-to-date, the Tesla Model Y midsize electric SUV has recorded 17,332 sales, beating the popular Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander.

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Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 is held back by supply constraints, but it still places fifth with 16,273 sales (▼ from 22,810).

While it was expected to retain its position as Australia's best-selling SUV as greater supply is expected in the second half of the year, the Tesla Model Y could take the crown in 2023.

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Isuzu D-Max

The latest-generation Isuzu D-Max has fallen to sixth with 15,313 sales (▼ from 15,392).

The D-Max and MU-X ranges recently benefited from MY23 updates, which you can learn about here for D-Max and here for MU-X.

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Mazda CX-5

The popular Mazda CX-5 medium SUV follows with 13,223 sales (▼ from 16,360).

While a boost in unallocated supply at the start of 2023 helped the CX-5 to reclaim its former number-one spot in the medium SUV segment, it has now fallen behind the supply-constrained Toyota RAV4.

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Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi's latest-generation Outlander – first launched in 2021 – closely follows with 13,120 registrations (▲ from 10,553).

It was updated recently for model-year 2023 with new safety technology, minor specification changes and an LS Black Edition variant – but price rises up to $1000. The plug-in hybrid variant also received similar changes.

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Hyundai i30

The Hyundai i30 range is in ninth place, with 13,079 sales (▼ from 13,510).

It is available in hatch or sedan form, with standard, N Line and N variants included in the combined sales count. The i30 Sedan, known as Elantra globally, is rebadged specifically for Australia to capitalise on the success of the i30 nameplate.

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Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson mid-size SUV rounds out the top 10 with 12,411 sales (▲ from 9541).

It was outplaced by the Tesla Model 3 in recent months, but a drop in sales for the electric sedan yet consistent demand for Hyundai's RAV4 rival has been it rejoin the top 10 in Australia.

Currently available in petrol FWD, turbo-petrol AWD and diesel AWD forms, Hyundai has confirmed a hybrid Tucson will join the local line-up in early 2024.


TOP 20

Rank Make YTD 2023 Variance (vs. YTD 2022)
1 Toyota HiLux 32,763 down 15 per cent
2 Ford Ranger 31,884 up 40 per cent
3 MG ZS 17,431 up 50 per cent
4 Tesla Model Y 17,332
5 Toyota RAV4 16,273 down 29 per cent
6 Isuzu D-Max 15,313 down one per cent
7 Mazda CX-5 13,223 down 19 per cent
8 Mitsubishi Outlander 13,120 up 24 per cent
9 Hyundai i30 13,079 down three per cent
10 Hyundai Tucson 12,411 up 30 per cent
11 Tesla Model 3 12,179 up 162 per cent
12 Mazda BT-50 10,800 up 22 per cent
13 Mitsubishi Triton 9888 down 47 per cent
14 Mazda CX-3 9593 up 56 per cent
15 MG 3 9489 zero
16 Toyota Corolla 9351 down 38 per cent
17 Subaru Forester 9272 up 48 per cent
18 Toyota LandCruiser Prado 8880 down 38 per cent
19 Isuzu MU-X 8384 up 36 per cent
20 Kia Sportage 7823 down 26 per cent

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