Australia April 2025: GWM and Chery break records, Toyota Hilux #1

First Australian Top 20 finish for the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro

12/05 update: Now with Top 322 All models ranking.

New vehicle sales in Australia drop -6.1% year-on-year in April to 91,316 units, leading to a year-to-date volume off -3.6% to 387,273. Private sales fall -8.9% to 44,568, business fleets edge down -4.9% to 34,159 but rental fleets surge 21.2% to 5,914. Government fleets skid -18.5% to 2,547. SUV sales edge up 0.9% year-on-year to 54,605 and 60.3% share vs. 55.7% last year and 56% two years ago, light commercials are down -4.6% to 20,436 and 22.6% share vs. 22% in 2024 and 20.8% in April 2023, and passenger cars freefall -25.8% to 12,849 and 14.2% share vs. 17.8% last year and 18.5% two years ago. Heavy commercials amount to 3,426 and 3.8% share.

Petrol sales drop -10.4% to 36,352, diesel is down -3.2% to 28,639 and for once HEVs actually fall at -6% to 14,288. BEVs are also in negative at -3% to 6,010 while PHEVs soar 95.4% year-on-year to 2,601. However the end of the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for PHEVs from April 1 meant deliveries of this format are down -62% on the 6,932 of March. Looking at sales by state and region, all of them are in negative this month. New South Wales is down -7.5% to 27,071, Victoria down -7.9% to 24,410, Queensland off -3.2% to 20,203, Western Australia down -1.4% to 9,664, South Australia down -13.6% to 5,864, Tasmania down -18.5% to 1,366, Australian Capital Territory down -17% to 1,198 and Northern Territory off -2.4% to 838. As far as country of production is concerned, Japan (-7.7%%) maintains its lead with 27,994 sales ahead of Thailand (-16.3%) at 19,207, China (+18.7%) at 15,619, South Korea (-10.7%) at 11,092 and the US (+37.7%) at 2,709.

In the brands charts, Toyota (-6.7%) matches the market to 21.2% share, above its YTD level of 19.9%. Ford (-15.2%) suffers in 2nd place ahead of Mazda (-10%), also in trouble. Kia (-5.3%) resists somewhat while sister brand Hyundai (+7%) overtakes a struggling Mitsubishi (-20.7%) for 5th place. Chinese fare GWM (+16.3%) is up to a best-ever 7th spot, also reached last February, and breaks its share record at 4.2%. Nissan (+27%) is also in great shape at #8 unlike Isuzu Ute (-21.8%) at #9. BYD (+127.4%) holds itself into the Top 10 at #10, something MG (-17.9%) can’t do at #11. This is MG’s first fall outside the Top 10 since June 2024. Chery (+290.9%) posts the best performance of the entire market, breaking its volume and share records at 2,287 and 2.5%. Tesla is down -75.9%.

The Toyota Hilux (-12.2%) takes the lead of the models charts for the first time since September 2023 with 4.5% share. It ends the month 90 units above its archenemy the Ford Ranger (-27.6%) while the Toyota RAV4 (-35%) freefalls and completes the podium. The RAV4 stays at #1 year-to-date for now. The Ford Everest (-6.9%) is back up to #4, outselling its competitor the Toyota Prado (+1198.3%) by just one sale. The Kia Sportage (+0.1%) sports its best monthly ranking so far this year at #7 with the Toyota Corolla (-20.8%) back inside the Top 10 for the first time since last August at #8. The Nissan X-Trail (+32.5%) scores its first Top 10 finish of the year at #9 while the Hyundai Kona (+23.2%) and GWM Haval Jolion (+29.2%) are just as dynamic. The BYD Shark 6 drops from #6 in March to #16 this month, still a solid result in the absence of PHEV tax rebates. The new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro breaks into the Top 20 for the first time at #20.

Previous month: Australia March 2025: BYD #1 Chinese brand, BEVs down -19.9%

One year ago: Australia April 2024: Another record market, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Everest at all time high

Full April 2025 Top 52 All brands and Top 322 All models below.