VFACTS: Australia’s best-selling vehicles by state and territory

Australians are buying new cars in record numbers, with 1,237,287 new vehicles delivered in 2024.

While a handful of models were universally popular across the country, state and territory sales figures show remarkably diverse buyer preferences across the country.

The venerable Toyota HiLux continues to dominate the sales race at the top of Australia, while demand for electric vehicles (EV) is most evident in the south.

VFACTS data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) provides insight into all this and more.

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Australian Capital Territory

Australia’s capital has seen the best electric vehicle (EV) uptake of any state or territory, with the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 both making the podium for 2024 sales.

The BYD Seal, BYD Atto 3 and MG4 were also among the top 20 sellers, reinforcing the ACT’s enthusiasm for electric vehicles.

Hybrid models were also in high demand, including the Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Hyundai Kona, Toyota Corolla, BYD Sealion 6 PHEV, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester and MG ZS.

Utes were a less popular purchase compared to other parts of Australia – neither the Mitsubishi Triton nor the Mazda BT-50 made the top 20, while Australia’s best-selling Ford Ranger was in fourth place.

New South Wales

In 2024, more vehicles were sold in New South Wales than in any other state or territory.

Topping the NSW charts was the RAV4 with 19,204 sales, while the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux also finished well behind other rivals.

The Toyota HiAce van (4801 deliveries) was over-represented in NSW compared to other states/territories, while the Toyota Corolla (8003) finished in the top five sellers.

Northern Territory

The HiLux came out on top in Australia’s smallest car market, more than doubling sales of the second-placed RAV4.

Half of the top 10 sellers carried a Toyota badge, including both LandCruiser models and the Corolla, while the HiAce, Camry and Kluger also made the top 20.

Despite not being on the top sellers list in any other state or territory, the Suzuki Jimny took 12th place with 200 deliveries.

The GWM Haval Jolion also scored unusually high, completing the top 10 (202 deliveries).

Queensland

A trio of well-known nameplates claimed the top three, but the rest of the top 10 provided a few surprises.

Both Isuzu models were among the top six sellers, finishing in fourth and sixth place respectively. The MU-X even outsold the Ford Everest, despite trailing its rival nationally by a significant margin.

The Mazda BT-50 (5081) finished ninth, the best result in any state or territory.

South Australia

There were no surprises at the top of South Australia’s sales figures, but a few Mazda SUVs – the CX-5 (2051) and CX-3 (1752) were disproportionately popular compared to the rest of the country.

Similarly, the Toyota Camry (1593) scored a top 10 finish, the best result in any state or territory.

The Model 3 (981) was Tesla’s best performer at 19th, while the MG ZS SUV (1576) almost cracked the top 10.

Tasmania

Tasmania loves the Subaru Forester, which is reflected in sixth place for the Japanese SUV.

The Subaru Crosstrek (382) and Outback (308) also sold well on the Apple Isle, although the latter fell from seventh to 15th in 2023.

Utes featured prominently in the top 20, underlined by the presence of the Volkswagen Amarok, which was not a top seller in any other state or territory.

Victoria

The Ford Ranger’s sales supremacy was backed by a huge win in Victoria.

The ute finished well ahead of the second-placed RAV4 and more than doubled Toyota HiLux sales. Other cars were less popular: the Mazda BT-50 missed out on a top 20 finish, while the Mitsubishi Triton just barely made it to the finish.

Instead, both Tesla models combined for more than 10,000 sales, with the Kia Sportage falling just outside the top five.

Western Australia

Toyota has a stranglehold on several states with its best-selling HiLux car, and that includes Western Australia.

Outside of the usual suspects, the Isuzu MU-X finished higher than elsewhere in eighth place, while the MG3 achieved its best result (16th place deliveries in 1988).

Sales of both luxury and trade-oriented LandCruiser variants remained strong, outselling sought-after models including the Tesla Model Y and Mazda CX-5, thanks to the state’s booming mining sector.

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