Key highlights:
- Toyota remains Australia’s leader, but BYD continues closing the gap
- Ranger ute’s delivery surge helped Ford jump straight to the number 3
- Chinese-made vehicles outsold those from Japan and Thailand combined
The new vehicle market in September 2026 stayed almost the same in terms of cars sold MoM, but the shifting brand, EV, and country-of-origin dynamics carried the most weight.
Australians bought 108,778 new vehicles, according to FCAI and EVC, and the top-selling brand order is more or less the same, with Toyota and BYD still in the top two.
Chinese-made vehicles outnumbered the cars made in Japan and Thailand combined, for the first time, and BEVs outsold petrol-powered cars for the second consecutive month in 2026. Go on to read more insights about September 2026’s top car brand sales:
Top 10 car brands sold in September 2026 in Australia
| # | Brand | September 2026 sales | Market share (VFACTS) | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Toyota | 17682 | 17.2% | -3.5% |
| 2. | BYD | 8191 | 8% | +61.1% |
| 3. | Ford | 7592 | 7.4% | -8.5% |
| 4. | Kia | 5901 | 5.7% | -19.5% |
| 5. | Mazda | 5702 | 5.5% | -18.9% |
| 6. | Tesla | 5654 | 5.2%* | +21.3% |
| 7. | GWM | 5212 | 5.1% | +5.4% |
| 8. | Hyundai | 5073 | 4.9% | -22.0% |
| 9. | MG | 4635 | 4.5% | +15.6% |
| 10. | Geely | 4473 | 4.3% | +870.3% |
*Tesla had a 5.2% market share in Australia based on the total car sales (VFACTS + Tesla + Polestar) of 108,778.
Key insights for September 2026 car brand sales
Australia’s September 2026 car market delivered a fascinating mix of familiar leaders and ambitious challengers. Toyota retained its crown, but BYD strengthened its grip on second place, Tesla bounced back, and Geely recorded extraordinary growth.
1. Toyota remains king, but the gap is getting interesting
Toyota sold 17,682 vehicles, retaining first place despite a 3.5% decline from September 2025, and its lead remains substantial, but BYD is becoming a serious challenger. Toyota’s strength still comes from its broad range of familiar cars, SUVs and utes, yet a growing number of buyers are giving newer brands a chance.
2. BYD is no longer just a newcomer
BYD secured second place with 8,191 sales, up 61.1% year on year, and it stays at number two for overall sales YTD this month also. It finished ahead of Ford, Mazda and Kia, and for a brand that established itself in Australia only a few years ago, that is a remarkable achievement. Its rise suggests EVs are helping newer names win over mainstream buyers, not just electric-car enthusiasts.
3. Geely delivered the month’s biggest growth story
Geely sold 4,473 vehicles, up an astonishing 870.3% from a year earlier; MG also grew by 15.6% to 4,635, while Chery rose 21.8% to 4,205. These results show that Chinese brands are building a much stronger presence in Australia.
4. Hyundai and Mitsubishi faced a tougher month
Hyundai recorded 5,073 sales, down 22%, Mitsubishi fell 41.5% to 2,769, Nissan dropped 30% to 2,028, and Subaru declined 42.6% to 2,009. These are significant falls for familiar names, and the numbers suggest that some established brands are struggling to hold onto buyers as competition intensifies, particularly from newer SUV and electric-car makers.
5. Chinese brands are changing the leaderboard
Beyond BYD, Geely, MG and Chery, Omoda Jaecoo grew 344.2% to 2,310 sales, while Zeekr rose 1,608.3% to 2,050. Those enormous increases partly reflect low sales a year earlier, but they also show how quickly unfamiliar brands can gain attention with new launches. Australia’s car market is becoming more crowded, giving buyers more options across different budgets.
6. EV growth is reshaping brand competition
Electric cars outsold petrol-powered vehicles in September 2026 for the second consecutive month. Tesla’s growth and BYD’s strong performance fit that wider shift, although their success is not the only factor changing brand rankings. The broader lesson is that buyers are increasingly considering different power options, and brands with appealing new models are finding opportunities to grow.
Bottom line
Toyota remains Australia’s overall best-selling car brand in September 2026 and YTD, but the explosive growth of EVs and the Chinese car brands are the key highlights this month also. These two factors are single-handedly propping up the market while traditional petrol and diesel volumes drop sharply.
See the top-selling car models in Australia for September 2026.
See the top-selling brands 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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