The 10 Most Popular Australian Car Brands

Published 26 January 2023 by Declan Flaherty -

From sports cars and mack trucks, to your neighbour’s plug-in hybrid or Ford Mustang, it’s a well-known fact that Aussies love (and need) cars. This is reflected in the Australian car market and Australian motor industries - with 56 of the world’s most popular car brands being available right here in our backyard.

Even with global supply-chain issues caused by you-know-what, the local market in Australia showed strength in 2022—with thousands of Aussie’s using our car loan calculator and more than one million new car sales estimated to have been completed and delivered to Aussies all around the country.

But just like with most things in life, there can only be one official winner out of the Australian car brands

In 2022, Toyota Australia once again ran away the victors, with the Toyota Hilux topping the sales charts as Australia’s best-selling car (with 64,391 new models sold).

Here are the car brands Australia couldn't get enough of in 2022

Toyota Motor Corporation

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 231,050

Once again, Toyota has come out on top in the battle between Australian car brands. Within their range of cars, the Toyota Hilux is by far one of the most popular models, followed by the economical Toyota Yaris, the affordable and family-friendly Camry, and the hybrid and sustainable Prius.

But why does Australia so often choose Toyota when it comes to purchasing a new or used car? It could be the good value these vehicles offer, or perhaps it’s the guaranteed high performance and cheaper parts when it comes time to service. Add in a 5 year warranty, an extensive dealer network across Australia, and the trust Aussies have in this Japanese manufacturer and you’ve got a recipe for an extremely popular car brand.

Most popular Toyota models by sales

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Kia

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 78,330

Kia, one of the newer car brands Australia has adopted, has continued their rapid growth in both car sales and reputation. The Kia Sportage—one of the most bought cars in Australia—shows what intelligent design and affordable price points can do.

Although Kia is a relatively new manufacturer on the market (as far as car companies go), they’re not just making vehicles and praying for the best - nor did they get lucky. Their success in the car market is highly likely due to their highly successful parent company—Hyundai. In fact, today Kia’s boast such impressive performance and reliability, that current range models like the Kia Sportage are used as a benchmark for other vehicles to beat.

Ford Australia

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 66,628

When you think of an Australian car, your brain automatically takes you to the classic rivalry between Ford Australia (Ford Motors Australian Division subsidiary) and Holden special vehicles—or maybe that’s just us. Anyway, although sports cars like the XY GT Falcon didn’t make the sales charts this year in Australia, several other Ford Australia vehicles did.

Ford Rangers were the second most popular models sold in 2022, just behind the mighty Hilux. These performance cars can be found from construction sites, off-road tracks, down at the beach and even at the school drop off - Ford Australia have solidified themselves as one of the top car brands Australia has to offer.

Mazda

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 95,718

Zoom-zoom. There are so many reasons Mazda’s cars are among the most popular models in Australia. Take the Mazda CX-5, not only are they stylish and affordable vehicles, but they’ve been rated as highly as possible on the Consumer Report Reliability score every year since 2013!

With excellent fuel economy, sleek design inside and out, a large range of models to cover all needs and high safety ratings, it’s no wonder Mazda’s cars are driving out of car lots and being bought online at breakneck speeds. If you’re talking about the most popular Australian car brands, Mazda has to be in that conversation.

Mitsubishi

Total vehicles sold in Australia in 2022: 76,991

Mitsubishis—a stalwart of the Australian car market—sold over 75,000 cars to the Australian market in 2022. The iconic Triton was the main driver of these sales, being a powerful ute loved by tradies and travellers alike. Other reliable and trusted cars are the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid and the Mitsubishi Lancers.

Hyundai

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 73,345

Hyundai is not only one of the most loved car brands in Australia, it’s one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. Being the parent company of another successful car brand also on this list (Kia), you can bet your bottom dollar these guys know how to build cars.

With 73,345 vehicles sold across Australia in 2022 alone, Hyundai’s brand is a household name.

Volkswagen

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 30,946

If you’ve ever been behind the wheel of one of Volkswagen’s cars, you know they drive like a dream. The Volkswagen Golf GTI is one of the most iconic hot hatch cars money can buy, and you’ll see them all throughout the country.

With impressive models in the Amarok, Passat and Touareg, this German brand takes a lot of pride in their cars. Newer models of the GTI have unparalleled driver cockpit and safety technology - you feel like you’ve just entered a spaceship or a fighter jet. Volkswagen’s brand is here to stay and their cars are only getting better and better.

Isuzu

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 33,323

Racing up the sales charts, Isuzu’s Ute D-Max are rapidly becoming tradies’ vehicles of choice. These bad boys not only have towing power that would put Mack trucks Australia to shame, but they are incredibly affordable too. Here lies the key to Isuzu’s rapid success in the market. It turns out the recipe’s quite simple really - make excellent and reliable work utes, and watch sales skyrocket.

Subaru

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 36,036

From incredible handling rally cars to safe and comfortable family cars, Subaru simply does not miss. With many models repeatedly making the top sellers list every year, it’s easy to see Subaru staying among one of Australia’s most trusted and loved car brands for years to come. Pros include great fuel economy, excellent drive experience and decent resale value. Cons to look out for include poorer reliability when compared to other brands on this list.

MG

Total vehicles sold in Australia: 49,582

After years of struggle and financial hardship, MG was taken over by a Chinese brand, SAIC in 2013. Since then it’s only been up, with MG’s car sales taking leaps and bounds year over year. One possible reason for their recent success in Australia could be down to their extremely affordable EV. MG listened to the demands of global and Aussie consumers and has been rewarded with explosive sales growth.

The best car brands Australia has to offer - A summary!

Well there you have it, the 10 most popular Australian car brands in 2022 and likely for a few years to come. These classic cars on offer from some of the biggest car brands—whether they’re Australian car brands like Ford Australia or a Chinese brand like SAIC—are well-loved for a reason.

Need a tough and reliable 4WD for work down in Port Melbourne? Perhaps you’re after a sports car to cruise the beautiful coasts of New South Wales?

No matter which type of car you’re after, Driva is here to offer expert personal advice and to find you the best possible car financing to get you on the road sooner!

FAQs

How many car brands are currently in Australia?

According to Finder.com, there are 56 Australian car brands currently operating in the country. (Yep - that includes the mighty Ford Australia!)

What is the top-selling car brand in Australia?

Toyota has been sitting on top of the Australia car brands best-sellers list for years now with their flagship car—the Toyota Hilux—repeatedly being among the most popular models bought in Australia. In 2022, Toyota sold 231,050 cars - making them one of the best-selling car brands Australia has ever seen.

Which new car brands are coming to Australia?

Some new models include the Ineos Grenadier, JAC T9 Diesel, the Cupra Leon V and the GWM Tank 300. Chinese brands like Chery are also planning to start selling their cars on a larger scale in Australia. We can’t wait for the next line of popular models to step up and leave their mark on the Australian car market.

Declan Flaherty

As the Digital Marketing Manager at Driva you can find Declan during the day transfixed by a flurry of spreadsheets, mar-tech, Slack emojis and graphs all pointing in the right direction and keeping up to date with the latest car finance trends.

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