It seems like 2026 is gonna be the record year for new vehicle sales and a highly mixed one in terms of powertrains, as we see the best July ever with 108,577 overall sales and increasing EV and hybrid car sales in the VFACTS report.
Toyota RAV4 has returned to the top spot with an amazing 5,564 sales, completely sorting out its earlier supply blockages, and it even pushed its cousin, the Toyota HiLux, into second place. Tesla Model Y, with its larger 6-seat sibling, also had a massive month with 4,644 deliveries and rested at the third spot.
Electrified cars’ share continues the strong run with EVs now accounting for 26% of all the new cars sold in July 2026 and a combined hybrid plus EV share of 48.4%.
Top 10 best-selling cars in Australia sold in July 2026
| # | Model | July 2026 sales | July 2025 sales | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Toyota RAV4 | 5564 | 4415 | +26% |
| 2. | Toyota HiLux | 4721 | 4676 | +0.96% |
| 3. | Tesla Model Y | 4644 | 555 | +736.8% |
| 4. | Ford Ranger | 4042 | 3930 | +2.8% |
| 5. | BYD Sealion 7 | 2548 | 1427 | +78.6% |
| 6. | Chery Tiggo 4 | 2156 | 2065 | +4.4% |
| 7. | Hyundai Kona | 2096 | 1903 | +10% |
| 8. | Toyota Prado | 2082 | 2339 | -11% |
| 9. | Geely EX5 | 2034 | New Model | – |
| 10. | Zeekr 7X | 1892 | New Model | – |
Key insights for July 2026 car sales
Australia recorded its strongest July ever for new-vehicle sales, with 108,577 vehicles delivered, including Tesla and Polestar, but the bigger story sits inside the model rankings. People are still buying familiar Toyotas and Ford utes, while electric SUVs and newer brands are rapidly changing the top of the sales chart.
1. The RAV4 returned to number one
The Toyota RAV4 led Australia with 5,564 sales, rising 26% from 4,415 in July 2025 and overtaking the Toyota HiLux and recording its strongest month of 2026. The result highlights continued demand for Toyota’s hybrid SUV despite growing competition from newer hybrid and electric SUVs.
2. HiLux and Ranger remain locked together
The Toyota HiLux finished second with 4,721 sales, narrowly improving on last July’s 4,676, while the Ford Ranger followed with 4,042, up from 3,930. Only 679 vehicles separated them, and the HiLux even beat the Ranger among four-wheel-drive versions during the month. Demand for utes remains strong, although SUVs now dominate Australia’s overall sales rankings.
3. Tesla staged a huge comeback
The regular Model Y jumped from only 555 sales in July 2025 to 2,215, while the new, longer Model Y L added another 2,429 and together, they reached 4,644 sales. This figure is more than the Ford Ranger and almost as many as the HiLux. Tesla reports the two versions separately, but Australians shopping for a Model Y are effectively giving the same vehicle family one of the strongest results in the country.
4. BYD now has a genuine hit
The BYD Sealion 7 finished fifth with 2,548 sales, up almost 79% from 1,427 a year earlier, and it outsold every Mazda, Kia, Mitsubishi and MG model. That shows how quickly BYD has moved from being a new name to a brand found on ordinary Australian shopping lists.
5. New names crowded into the top 10
The Chery Tiggo 4 reached 2,156 sales, narrowly beating the Hyundai Kona on 2,096. The Geely EX5 entered the top 10 with 2,034, despite Geely selling only 490 vehicles across its entire range in July 2025. Just outside the top 10, the Zeekr 7X recorded 1,892 sales. Buyers appear increasingly willing to try unfamiliar badges when the vehicle offers the right price, space and features.
6. Some former favourites lost ground
The Ford Everest fell from fourth place and 2,425 sales last July to 14th with 1,697. The Isuzu D-Max dropped from 2,351 to 1,755, while the Toyota Prado declined from 2,339 to 2,082. The Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Triton ute all disappeared from the top 20, highlighting just how competitive Australia’s new-vehicle market has become.
7. SUVs have taken over the leaderboard
Eight of July 2026’s top 10 models were SUVs; the HiLux and Ranger ute were the only exceptions. A year earlier, the Toyota Corolla held eighth place, but in July 2026, no traditional passenger car made the top 20. Australians increasingly want higher seating, more cabin space and flexible family transport, and they now have more electric and lower-priced choices than ever.
Bottom line
The old leaders have not disappeared from the sales chart, but July 2026 showed that even Australia’s most familiar cars can no longer take their place near the top for granted.
July 2026 also highlighted Australia’s rapidly changing new-car market, with electric SUVs and emerging Chinese brands continuing to gain share alongside long-established favourites such as the Toyota RAV4, Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
Also see the best-selling car brands and top-selling SUVs in Australia for June 2026.
See the top-selling cars for June 2026
See the top-selling cars for May 2026
See the top-selling cars for April 2026
See the top-selling cars for March 2026
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