VFACTS: Ranger still on top, as EV surge grows and diesel, petrol sales fall

Despite the arrival of the ninth-gen Toyota HiLux late last year, the Ford Ranger continues to be the best-selling 4×4 vehicle in Australia. 

In April, the Ford Ranger recorded 3431 sales on the 4×4 charts, comfortably ahead of the Toyota HiLux on 2535. That gap is also reflected year-to-date, with the Ranger leading 15,023 to 11,486. The perennial top two are followed by the Isuzu D-MAX (1526), BYD Shark (1371) and Mitsubishi Triton (1125) in the PU/CC 4×4 rankings. Further down the list, it was another subdued month for the Kia Tasman despite its strong on- and off-road credentials, with Kia managing just 266 sales in April and 1433 year-to-date.

In the budget 4×4 segment, the GWM Cannon range has continued to outperform its direct rivals, with 796 combined sales across Cannon and Cannon Alpha. By contrast, the LDV T60 (214), LDV Terron9 (89), Foton Tunland (88), JAC T9 (56) and MG U9 (94) all recorded relatively soft results. The KGM Musso posted 132 sales ahead of its mid-year update.

At the premium end of the market, the Chevrolet Silverado/HD (237) led the large pick-up segment ahead of the Ram 1500 (121), Ford F-150 (84) and Toyota Tundra (51).

Overall, the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) market softened in April 2026, with 17,408 sales recorded compared to 20,436 in April 2025 – a 14.8 per cent year-on-year decline. The slowdown is also reflected in year-to-date figures, with 6202 fewer LCVs sold so far in 2026, representing a 7.3 per cent drop.

Digging deeper into the PU/CC 4×4 segment reveals a similar trend. April 2026 sales totalled 13,251, down from 15,672 in April 2025 – a 15.4 per cent decline. Year-to-date, 5400 fewer vehicles have been sold compared to the same period last year, equating to an 8.3 per cent decrease.

Diesel- and petrol-powered vehicle sales have also taken a significant hit, with 6225 fewer diesel models and 10,953 fewer petrol variants sold in April compared to the same month last year. Much of that demand appears to be shifting towards electrified options, with EV, hybrid and PHEV sales up by 8693, 3874 and 7027 units respectively.

The year-to-date figures tell much the same story. Diesel sales are down by 10,248 units, while petrol has seen a much steeper fall of 32,938. Meanwhile, EV, hybrid and PHEV sales continue to climb, up 22,998, 3812 and 12,546 units respectively.

In fact, Australians are buying EVs in record numbers, with electric vehicles accounting for 16.4 per cent of all new-car sales in April 2026 – roughly one in every six vehicles delivered nationwide. Overall, the new-vehicle market recorded 92,591 sales for the month, up 2.2 per cent on April 2025 despite ongoing economic uncertainty.

“The increase in supply of EVs since the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Scheme, combined with higher petrol prices and the continued support provided through the Federal Government’s Electric Car Discount, is now translating into stronger demand,” said Tony Weber, FCAI chief executive.

“There are around 110 EV models available to Australians, and the supply of EVs continues to increase. The Electric Car Discount has provided important stimulus to the market, and its continuation will support the growth of EVs,” Weber said. “Stronger EV uptake is driving increased demand for public charging, and that demand must be matched by a step change in both public and private investment to ensure infrastructure keeps pace.”

Toyota held onto its position as Australia’s top-selling brand in April, shifting 15,185 vehicles for the month, while BYD continued its rapid rise to claim second spot with 7702 sales ahead of Kia and Hyundai. Ford rounded out the top five on the back of strong Ranger demand, while Chinese brands including GWM, Chery and MG all featured inside the top 10, highlighting the continued shake-up of the local new-car market. On the model charts, the Toyota RAV4 narrowly edged out the Ford Ranger (4×4 and 4×2) as Australia’s best-selling vehicle, with the Toyota HiLux (4×4 and 4×2) close behind.

Chinese brands also continued to strengthen their foothold, making up around 30 per cent of total sales, while BYD emerged as the country’s second best-selling marque for the month with an 8.3 per cent market share. That momentum is being driven largely by China’s growing dominance as a production hub, with 28,041 Chinese-built vehicles sold in Australia in April 2026 alone. That compares with 14,917 in April 2025, underlining the rapid pace of growth.

The year-to-date figures reinforce the trend, with nearly 40,000 more Chinese-made vehicles sold in Australia so far in 2026 compared to the same period last year.