Australia January 2025: Toyota RAV4 secures 7th win in a row in negative market

The Toyota RAV4 is currently the uncontested leader in Australia.

12/03 update: Now with Top 324 All models ranking

The Australian new vehicle market confirms it will be softer in 2025 after a record 2024. December sales are down -2.4% year-on-year in January to 87,625 units, the 6th decline in the past 7 months. We still remain at very high levels as this is the third largest volume in history for January (add 2018 at 88,551), and sales have been negatively impacted by a shipping port strikes. Private sales drop -7.4% to 43,915, business fleets are up 4.6% to 33,810, sales to rental companies sink -18.6% to 3,576 and government fleets fall -3% to 2,678 units. Note this excludes Polestar, Tesla and heavy commercials. This time including them, petrol sales are off -8% to 38,852, diesel is down -12.3% to 25,372, HEVs continue to jump at +51.1% to 14,836, PHEVs are up 94.7% to 1,908 but BEVs crash -21.7% to 3,832. This means the share of electric cars in Australia is at a miserable 4.4% for the month vs. 5.8% in January 2024 and 9.5% in 2023. 

SUVs continue to dominate and gain a further 6.9% to 53,276 and 60.8% share vs. 55.5% in January 2024 and 55% two years ago. This is the first time SUV manage to hold more than 60% of the Australian market. Light commercials fall -10.5% to 18,448 and 21.1% share vs. 22.9% a year ago and 21.9% in 2023 and passenger cars crumble -20.4% to 13,076 and 14.9% vs. 18.3% and 19.6%. Heavy commercials account for 3.2% of the market at 2,825 sales.

Looking at sales by State and Territories, all of them are in negative bar Western Australia (+4.4% to 10,345) and Northern Territory (+4% to 772). New South Wales is down -3.3% to 25,913, Victoria is also down -3.3% to 22,985, Queensland drops -3.1% to 19,167, South Australia is off -2.8% to 5,834, Tasmania down -3% to 1,448 and the Australian Capital Territory is hit the hardest at -10% to 1,161. As for country of origin, Japan is up 7.9% to 30,443, Thailand down -8.2% to 18,501, China off -0.5% to 12,839, South Korea down -12.7% to 10,889 and Germany up 13.8% to 3,846.

In the brands charts, Toyota (+2.9%) hits its largest market share since last August at 21%, while Mazda (+1.9%), traditionally stronger in January, passes Ford (+3.1%) for 2nd place and secures its highest share since January 2023 at 9.5%. Kia (+0.2%) stays at #4 ahead of Mitsubishi (-3.9%), Hyundai (-11.1%) and MG (-6.6%) all losing share year-on-year. In contrast GWM reaches its highest ever ranking at #8, also hit in December 2023 and November 2024, and its highest share at 3.9% also hit in December 2023. Nissan (+12.4%) is also in excellent shape as is Chery (+152%), managing its highest ever scores at #13, 1,837 sales and 2.1% share. Tesla (-33.2%) and BYD (-48.5%) struggle, although the latter has not included 450 sales of the new Shark 6 PHEV pickup which will be reported in February. Chinese JAC makes its entrance at #32 with 204 sales of its T9 pickup.

Model-wise, the Toyota RAV4 (+129.6%) is the best-selling vehicle in the country for the 7th consecutive month and 8th time in the past 10 months, positioning itself ideally for a Full Year 2025 win although this is still very far away. The Ford Ranger (-10.4%) and Toyota Hilux (-19.3%) recede significantly to round out the podium just as the Toyota Prado (+63.1%) takes full advantage of the new generation to repeat at #4 and post a third straight month in the Top 4 after ranking #3 in November. The Mitsubishi Outlander (+0.6%) is stables and climbs back up four spots on December to return to the 5th spot it held over the Full Year 2024. All remaining Top 10 models bar the Isuzu D-Max (-17.9%) are in positive: the Ford Everest (+42.8%) performing best with the Kia Sportage (+9.7%), Mazda CX-5 (+8.8%) and CX-3 (+5.5%) also strong.

Previous post (1): Australia Full Year 2024: Toyota RAV4 teases Ford Ranger in record market

Previous post (2): Australia Full Year 2024: Exclusive Top 10 models by State and Territory

One year ago: Australia January 2024: Record market, Ford Ranger #1, Toyota (+34%), Isuzu Ute (+40.7%) shine

Full January 2025 Top 50 All brands and Top 324 All models below.