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Top-selling small, medium and large SUVs in Australia in 2022
Toyota HiLux is Australia’s top-selling car for 2022 as Kia, MG, Mitsubishi and Tesla sales jump
The HiLux muscled out the competition to claim the crown as Australia's most-sold car in 2022, helping Toyota win the title as Australia's top-selling car brand.
Toyota has more than doubled the sales of its nearest competitor Mazda thanks to the continued success of its HiLux, RAV4, Landcruiser and Corolla models, according to December new car sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
A total of 1,081,429 cars were reported sold in 2022, a 3 per cent increase on 2021. One in five new cars sold last year was a Toyota, with the Japanese brand realising 231,050 sales, up 3.3 per cent compared to 2021. The brand sold 135,000 cars more than second placed Mazda (95,718 sales, down 5.3 per cent year on year), while Kia outsold Mitsubishi and sister brand Hyundai to round out the podium. Ford (with the new Ranger ute accounting for over 70 per cent of the brand’s sales volume), MG, Subaru, Isuzu Ute and Volkswagen closed out the rest of the top 10 selling brands for the year.
Challenger and affordable brands were among those to win big in 2022. GWM (up 36.2 per cent year on year), Kia (up 15.3 per cent year on year), LDV (up 13 per cent year on year), MG (up 27 per cent year on year), Mitsubishi (up 13.7 per cent year on year), Renault (up 24.7 per cent year on year) and Suzuki (up 23.5 per cent year on year) all generated strong sales growth, while Porsche (up 26.6 per cent year on year thanks to its Macan and Cayenne SUVs) and Volvo (up 18.7 per cent year on year) fared well at the premium end of the market.
2022 wasn’t so kind for a host of legacy brands including Honda (down 19.1 per cent year on year), Jeep (down 14.2 per cent year on year), Land Rover (down 32.7 per cent year on year), Lexus (down 23.7 per cent year on year), MINI (down 16.1 per cent year on year), Nissan (down 35.8 per cent year on year), Skoda (down 29.2 per cent year on year) and Volkswagen (down 24.1 per cent year on year).
New brands Polestar and Cupra sold 1,524 and 1,111 cars respectively for the year.
FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber acknowledged that 2022 was a tough year for Australian car brands and dealers thanks to ongoing chip shortages and inventory supply challenges in the wake of the pandemic and global unrest, and predicted more change in 2023.
“While 2022 has been a year of resilience and recovery, 2023 is shaping up as one of the most significant in recent history, particularly in terms of the development of policies that set the direction for the future decarbonisation of the light vehicle fleet,” Weber said.
Toyota RAV4 is the top-selling SUV for 2022
Australia’s love of SUVs shows no signs of abating, with sales almost tripling since 2010. More than 574,000 SUVs were sold in 2022, capturing 53.1 per cent of the new car market - more than double the share recorded by passenger cars.
Four of the top ten best-selling cars for 2022 were SUVs. Despite well publicised delivery delays, Toyota’s RAV4 was the nation’s top-selling SUV for 2022, racking up 34,845 sales for year, followed by the Mazda CX-5 (27,062 sales).
Rounding out the SUV podium was the perennially popular Toyota Landcruiser with 24,452 sales, while the budget-friendly MG ZS took fourth spot, with combined sales of its petrol and electric ZS EV variants totalling 22,466 vehicles.
Top-selling small, medium and large SUVs in Australia in 2022
- SUV Small < $40K: MG ZS, Mazda CX-30, Mitsubishi ASX
- SUV Small > $40K: Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
- SUV Medium < $60K: Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander
- SUV Medium > $60K: Tesla Model Y, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
- SUV Large < $70K: Toyota Prado, Toyota Kluger, Isuzu Ute MU-X
- SUV Large > $70K: BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Land Rover Defender
The Mazda CX-5 was the second-top selling SUV for Australia in 2022. Image: Supplied
Toyota HiLux is the top-selling ute in Australia for 2022
Utes straddling work and play duties continue to find favour with Australian car buyers. A total of 256,382 utes were sold in Australia in 2022, 1.2 per cent higher than the previous year. Sales of more expensive 4x4 utes (195,208) dominated 4x2 variants (33,463).
Four of the highest selling cars last year were utes. Toyota HiLux was the nation’s top-selling car with 64,391 sales, closely followed by the new Ford Ranger (47,479 sales), Mitsubishi Triton (27,436 sales) and Isuzu Ute D-Max (24,336 sales).
Top-selling 4x2 and 4x4 utes in Australia in 2022
- 4x2 utes: Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu Ute D-Max
- 4x4 utes: Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton
To find out more, check out our compilation of the electric utes coming soon to Australia.
Tesla powers record EV sales in Australia in 2022
Buoyed by government rebates and incentives, higher fuel prices and new model launches, 2022 was a record year for battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Australia. EVs captured 3.1 per cent of new car sales for the year, with 33,410 vehicles sold.
EV sales in Australia were dominated by one brand: Tesla. The Californian brand, headed by Elon Musk, sold 19,594 vehicles last year, outselling legacy manufacturers including Audi, Honda and Volvo despite offering just two models for sale. The launch of the brand's Model Y SUV in the second half of the year delivered 8,717 sales, while sales of the Model 3 sedan for the year totalled 10,877 – enough to displace the Toyota Camry (9,538) as the nation’s top-selling medium sedan.
New market entrant BYD sold 1,268 examples of the highly anticipated Atto 3 medium SUV in December, in the model’s second month on sale. BYD is making a major play for the affordable end of the EV market in 2023, with plans to launch a five-door hatch with pricing close to $40K, as well as a medium sedan to take on the Model 3.
Find out more about the electric passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles coming in 2023.
Top 10 selling car brands – 2022
- Toyota – 231,050
- Mazda – 95,718
- Kia – 78,330
- Mitsubishi – 76,991
- Hyundai – 73,345
- Ford – 66,628
- MG – 49,582
- Subaru – 36,036
- Isuzu Ute – 35,323
- Volkswagen – 30,946
Top 20 selling car models – 2022
- Toyota HiLux – 64,391
- Ford Ranger – 47,479
- Toyota RAV4 – 34,845
- Mitsubishi Triton – 27,436
- Mazda CX-5 – 27,062
- Toyota Corolla – 25,284
- Toyota Landcruiser – 24,542
- Isuzu Ute D-Max – 24,336
- MG ZS – 22,466
- Hyundai i30 – 21,166
- Toyota Prado – 21,102
- Mitsubishi Outlander – 19,546
- Kia Sportage – 18,792
- Hyundai Tucson – 17,870
- MG MG3 – 16,168
- Mazda CX-30 – 13,891
- Mazda BT-50 – 12,937
- Mitsubishi ASX – 12,753
- Toyota Kluger – 12,562
- Kia Cerato – 12,354
Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries VFACTS report, December 2022
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
