Australia's three best-selling cars look different in 2023

As we near the halfway point of 2023, the new vehicle market has yielded another first: namely, the top three-selling vehicles in Australia at this point in a year are diesel utes. 

While we have become accustomed to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger sitting one-two on the charts – having done so since 2017 – the bronze medallist over a full year has never been another load-lugger. 

This holds true across previous years both to the end of May (our latest figures are for May 2023, hence this measure) and across all 12 months. 

The third-placed vehicle in question is, of course, the Isuzu D-Max. The D-Max’s ascension to third spot year-to-date comes despite ongoing supply restrictions leading to delivery delays.

Helping its cause is the fact the outgoing number-three, Toyota’s RAV4, is also being held back by shortages, hence its YTD position of fourth place. 

In another first, the Tesla Model 3 rounds out the top five, something no electric car has done before. 

Zooming out a touch, the overall ute segment has actually lost market share YTD relative to 2022: namely they account for 20.7 per cent of the market (down from 21.3). Reflecting the success of the current-generation D-Max, its Mazda BT-50 near-identical twin – they share all the same mechanical components and Isuzu builds both vehicles – sits fourth-in-class on 7045 sales, overtaking the ageing Mitsubishi Triton. 

However, when it comes to the D-Max retaining its top three place to the end of the year, there’s one major potential problem: namely the government’s decision to bring down the threshold for the instant asset write-off policy that drives tradie take-up.

Expect therefore a big rush to take delivery before June 30.

Top 10-selling models in 2023 (January to May):

1. Toyota HiLux: 21,951
2. Ford Ranger: 21,407
3. Isuzu D-Max: 10,743
4. Toyota RAV4: 10,665
5. Tesla Model 3: 10,117
6. MG ZS: 9823
7. Mazda CX-5: 9795
8. Mitsubishi Outlander: 9718
9. Hyundai i30: 8691
10. Tesla Model Y: 8442

The top 3 models for each year:

Ute market share over the past 20 years:

MORE: How the instant asset write-off scheme has been slashed