Top-selling car brands in Australia in December 2025

Australia’s new-car market wrapped up 2025 on a brighter note, with 101,513 vehicles sold in December, a 1.9% increase year-on-year, according to VFACTS figures from the FCAI and Electric Vehicle Council.

After a softer November, buyers returned in force at year’s end, helped by improved supply, and bigger year-end deals. SUVs and utes continued to do the heavy lifting, while traditional passenger cars slipped further into the background.

At the brand level, the pecking order stayed familiar at the top but the gap behind Ford is closing fast. Here are the top 10 car brands sold in December 2025.

December 2025 car sales at a glance

Toyota finished the year exactly where you’d expect, on top. Strong demand for its SUV-heavy and hybrid-rich lineup kept the brand comfortably ahead, even as volumes eased slightly from November.

Ford climbed back into a clear second place, buoyed by Ranger and Everest deliveries as 2025 came to a close. Mazda followed closely behind, continuing its steady, no-drama run with consistent results across its SUV range. Expect Mazda to give a tougher challenger to Ford in 2026 with the arrival of the all-new CX-5.

The real headline, though, was BYD. The Chinese brand surged into fourth place after almost doubling its November total, underlining just how quickly it’s becoming a mainstream force rather than a niche EV player.

Kia and Hyundai sat mid-pack, with Hyundai showing better month-on-month momentum thanks to strong SUV demand. GWM also pushed higher, reinforcing the growing influence of Chinese brands across the top 10.

Mitsubishi’s numbers remained under pressure as it worked through a major model transition, while Chery quietly kept climbing, locking in another top-10 finish. Isuzu Ute rounded things out with a solid, if unspectacular, December driven largely by fleet and ute buyers.

Market insights: December vs November 2025

December delivered a clear bounce after November’s dip, with total sales lifting by more than 4,400 units month-on-month. That lift wasn’t just seasonal, it also reflected stronger stock levels and rising confidence among buyers heading into the new year.

EVs continue to be the market’s growth engine. Plug-in hybrids and EVs again outpaced the broader market, and Chinese brands were right at the centre of that surge. BYD, GWM, and Chery all posted strong gains, steadily chipping away at the dominance of long-established players.

Toyota remains the benchmark, but December’s results make one thing 

Clear, the Australian new-car market is no longer moving in slow lanes. With Chinese brands accelerating and electrification gathering pace, 2026 is shaping up to be even more competitive.