VFACTS data for May 2026 shows continuing movement of Australians toward electrified vehicles and Chinese brands, while traditional petrol/diesel strength is weakening across key segments.
Tesla Model Y becomes the first EV to top the best-selling car list across fuel types. The official VFACTS report lists 100,206 new vehicle sales for May 2026 and the consolidated sales of 106,887 units with Tesla and Polestar sales added.
According to FCAI, electrified vehicles (hybrids, PHEVs and EVs) accounted for 46.4% of all new-vehicle deliveries, while battery-electric vehicles alone reached a record 19.9% market share.
Top 10 car brands sold in May 2026 in Australia
| # | Brand | May 2026 sales | Market share VFACTS | MoM change vs April 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Toyota | 16,342 | 16.3% | +7.6% |
| 2. | BYD | 8,211 | 8.2% | +6.6% |
| 3. | Ford | 7,195 | 7.2% | +25.2% |
| 4. | Hyundai | 7,007 | 7.0% | +16.7% |
| 5. | Kia | 6,761 | 6.7% | +4.8% |
| 6. | Tesla | 6,433 | *6% | +425% |
| 7. | Mazda | 5,698 | 5.7% | +1.1% |
| 8. | GWM | 4,660 | 4.7% | -1.2% |
| 9. | Chery | 4,401 | 4.4% | +1.8% |
| 10. | MG | 3,872 | 3.9% | +5.3% |
*The 6% market share of Tesla is based on the total car sales (VFACTS + Tesla + Polestar).
Key observations for May 2026 sales
Toyota remains the number one selling car brand, but the field behind it is changing fast. The traditional Toyota-Ford-Mazda-Hyundai-Kia top order is being disrupted by BYD, Tesla, GWM, Chery and MG. All top 10 car brands posted positive MoM growth since April 2026, except GWM (-1.2% MoM).
1. Tesla Model Y breaks record
The Model Y EV was Australia’s best-selling vehicle in May 2026 with 5,605 units. With that, it also became the first EV ever to lead Australia’s overall sales charts across all fuel types. It outsold the Ford Ranger and HiLux and also beat the Toyota RAV4.
2. Toyota is still dominant, but May exposed pressure points
Toyota sold 16,342 vehicles in May 2026, still far ahead of every other brand. But its result was down 30.7% compared with May 2025, and its YTD sales are down 24.6%. Despite remaining Australia’s best-selling brand, Toyota saw declines across most of its model range, highlighting growing pressure from Chinese challengers and rapidly expanding electrified vehicle brands.
3. Chinese brands are the big growth bloc
Beyond BYD, several China-linked or newer challenger brands grew strongly. Chery rose 59.7%, GWM rose 9.1%, Geely rose 415.9%, Omoda Jaecoo rose 729.0%, and Zeekr rose a whopping >999% YoY since May 2025. The challenger brands are not just arriving; they are taking visible share.
4. Official market was down, but the mix changed dramatically
The official VFACTS total was 100,206 vehicles, down 4.8% from 105,285 in May 2025. Year-to-date, the official market sits at 475,659, down 2.2% from 486,302 in the same period last year. FCAI says electrified vehicles reached 46% of new-vehicle sales from all sources, while BEVs reached a record 20% share.
5. BYD is no longer a niche EV player
BYD’s May 2026 figure of 8,211 sales places it second in the official VFACTS brand table. Its YTD total is 33,454, up 120.1% from the same period in 2025. Its growth is being driven by a broad portfolio, including the Sealion 7, which recorded 1,538 sales in May, while the Atto 1 became Australia’s best-selling light car.
BYD now has contenders across multiple vehicle segments including hatchback, SUVs, utes and sedans. It is starting to behave less like an EV disruptor and more like a full-line mainstream brand.
6. China becomes Australia’s biggest vehicle source again
In terms of country of origin, China supplied 37,229 vehicles in May 2026, up 74.1% year-on-year. That puts it ahead of Japan, which supplied 22,832, and Thailand, which supplied 17,552.
Bottom line
Toyota still leads, Ranger and HiLux are still huge, and SUVs still dominate. But the real shift in May 2026 is electrification: Tesla Model Y topped the entire market, and electrified vehicles reached about 46% of the consolidated market, while BYD remained at the second spot.
The market was down a bit overall, but the composition of the market changed significantly. Australian buyers are increasingly embracing EVs, which are rapidly closing the gap to petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, and May 2026 VFACTS Australia car sales data highlighted how quickly the market is evolving.
See the top-selling car models and best-selling SUVs in Australia for May 2026.
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