Key highlights:
- Toyota stayed comfortably first, despite selling fewer vehicles than last August
- BYD and Tesla surged as electric car sales made history, outselling ICE cars
- Chinese brands expanded rapidly, capturing 40.3% of the new vehicle market
Australia’s new-car market stayed strong in August 2026, and Toyota maintained its giant presence Down Under, leading the market with 19,712 sales and leaving BYD and Tesla way behind, according to the VFACTS report.
The famous RAV4, HiLux ute, and Prado ended up in the top four in overall model sales behind the top-selling electric car rockstar, Tesla Model Y.
For the first time in Australian history, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) outsold petrol and diesel vehicles as the Model Y regained its top spot after May and June 2026, and we see Chinese carmakers continue their invasion (grabbing 40.3% share), with every single top-selling EV model in the country built in a Chinese factory.
Top 10 car brands sold in August 2026 in Australia
| # | Brand | August 2026 sales | Market share (VFACTS) | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Toyota | 19712 | 19.5% | -5.2% |
| 2. | BYD | 8231 | 8.2% | +68.8% |
| 3. | Tesla | 7685 | *7.1% | +162.6% |
| 4. | Kia | 6500 | 6.4% | -12.2% |
| 5. | Mazda | 6203 | 6.1% | -9% |
| 6. | Hyundai | 5355 | 5.3% | -15.3% |
| 7. | GWM | 4870 | 4.8% | +8.5% |
| 8. | Ford | 4816 | 4.8% | -39.8% |
| 9. | MG | 4767 | 4.7% | +21.4% |
| 10. | Geely | 4504 | 4.5% | +1023.2% |
*Tesla had a 7.1% market share in Australia based on the total car sales (VFACTS + Tesla + Polestar) of 108,760.
Key insights for August 2026 car brand sales
Toyota remained miles ahead again, yet Tesla grew at a remarkable pace, while several long-standing favourites lost ground. And Chinese and electric-car brands are no longer just joining the race but reshaping it.
1. Toyota still sits comfortably on top
Toyota sold 19,712 vehicles in August 2026, more than twice as many as BYD, and remained Australia’s clear number-one brand; yet its sales fell 5.2% from August 2025. That matters because Toyota’s lead remains huge, but the brands underneath it are growing much faster.
2. BYD has made second place its new normal
BYD recorded 8,231 sales, up 68.8% in a year, and held second place for the fifth month in a row. The jump shows that Australians are becoming much more comfortable buying from a relatively new brand, especially when it offers a growing range of electric cars and SUVs.
3. Tesla was the month’s biggest heavyweight mover
Tesla reached 7,685 sales, a huge 162.6% increase from August 2025 and a 60.8% month on month increase from July 2026, lifting it to third place. Its Model Y alone delivered 6,414 vehicles, making it Australia’s best-selling model for the month.
4. The old guard is feeling the squeeze
Several familiar names had a difficult August as Ford fell 39.8%, Mitsubishi dropped 42.6%, Hyundai declined 15.3%, Mazda slipped 9%, and Kia was down 12.2% year on year. These brands still sell thousands of cars each month, but the old order is under pressure as new players take a bigger slice of the market.
5. Chinese brands are piling into the top 10
GWM, MG and Geely all finished inside the top 10. Geely was the standout, selling 4,504 vehicles, compared with only 401 a year earlier, which is more than ten times as many. Chery also reached 4,238, while Omoda Jaecoo jumped to 2,203 as buyers get many more badges to choose from than they did just a year ago.
6. Ford’s fall is particularly striking
Ford dropped from 8,002 sales in August 2025 to 4,816 this year, down almost 40% and going down from second place to eighth. The decline is especially noticeable because Ford had been one of the country’s strongest sellers for years.
7. Geely and Zeekr are no longer fringe players
Geely’s sales rose 1,023.2%, while Zeekr surged 2,309.1% year on year. These brands are moving from being unfamiliar names to brands that thousands of Australians are now buying.
8. August delivered a very different market
The overall market grew 4.9% to 108,760 vehicles, but electric cars grew far faster, rising 169.4% year on year to 27,078 sales. EVs accounted for nearly one in four new cars, which helps explain why Tesla and BYD surged while many traditional brands fell.
Bottom line
Toyota still owns the top spot, but the chase has changed completely as BYD and Tesla are now major forces, Chinese brands are multiplying, and established brands can no longer assume yesterday’s popularity will guarantee tomorrow’s sales.
We are also seeing electrified vehicles dominating the new vehicle market in Australia for the first time.
See the top-selling car models and best-selling SUVs in Australia for August 2026.
See the top-selling brands for July 2026
See the top-selling brands for June 2026
See the top-selling brands for May 2026
See the top-selling brands for April 2026
See the top-selling brands for March 2026
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