Top 10 best-selling cars in Australia in January 2026

Australia’s new-car market started 2026 on a steady footing, with January deliveries up marginally year-on-year. While overall growth was modest, the familiar story at the model level remained unchanged, with utes and SUVs once again dominating the sales charts.

The Ford Ranger reclaimed the number-one position for the first month of the year, ahead of the Toyota HiLux and Mazda CX-5. Stock constraints for several popular Toyota models reshaped the leaderboard, opening the door for strong performances from rivals, including a standout result from Chinese brand Chery.

Here are the top 10 best-selling cars in Australia in January 2026, based on VFACTS data.

Key takeaways

• The Ford Ranger began 2026 as Australia’s best-selling vehicle, despite a significant year-on-year decline. Reduced availability and increased competition continue to weigh on volumes, but the Ranger remains the country’s most popular ute.
• Toyota’s dominance was dented by supply issues, particularly for the RAV4 and Prado. The RAV4 dropped to 10th place amid thinning stock ahead of the new-generation model, resulting in a steep year-on-year decline.
• Mazda CX-5 was the strongest-performing top-three model, recording a 22.3 per cent increase and reclaiming its position as Australia’s best-selling mid-size SUV for the month.
• Chinese brands made a major breakthrough, led by the Chery Tiggo 4, which climbed to fourth overall. It was one of the highest-ranking Chinese-built vehicles ever recorded in the Australian monthly sales charts.
• SUVs and utes completely dominated the top 10, accounting for every position. Passenger cars once again failed to register among the country’s best sellers.
• Hybrid and electrified trends did not translate to top-10 representation, with no battery-electric or plug-in hybrid models appearing on the list despite strong overall growth in those segments.
• The Hyundai Kona and GWM Haval Jolion posted strong gains, highlighting continued demand for affordable small SUVs as cost-of-living pressures persist.

Final thoughts

January 2026 reinforced the entrenched preferences of Australian car buyers. Utes and SUVs continue to lead the market, while supply constraints, rather than shifting demand, played a key role in reshaping the leaderboard.

The rise of Chinese brands such as Chery and GWM suggests that value-focused SUVs are gaining real traction, and it now appears increasingly likely that a Chinese model could feature prominently in Australia’s annual top 10 by the end of 2026.

With new-generation models from Toyota on the horizon and electrified offerings expanding across multiple segments, the coming months should provide a clearer indication of whether January’s shake-up was temporary, or the start of a more significant shift in Australia’s new-car market.