One of the most hotly-contested parts of the Australian new car market is the dual-cab ute battlefield.
The Toyota HiLux still reigns supreme followed by the Ford Ranger, proving not everything is different in what has been a topsy-turvy year.
In the mid-pack, the Mitsubishi Triton remains Australia’s third-favourite pickup. It received a significant update late in 2019, and still presents a stronger value proposition than the Ranger or HiLux.
Check out the full breakdown of ute sales in Australia below, across the 4×2 and 4×4 segments.
Australian ute market sales
The Australian car market is struggling. It was in decline before COVID-19, but lockdowns designed to prevent the spread of the virus have hit dealers and carmakers hard.
Overall, sales are down 20.2 per cent to date in 2020, while June sales dropped 6.4 per cent.
Although 4×2 ute sales have declined at a more rapid rate than the wider market, falling 27.5 per cent to date in 2020, the 4×4 market has stayed strong. Sales are down 13.8 per cent to date in 2020.
The 4×4 market has no doubt been helped by changes to the Instant Asset Write Off scheme, which had its limit raised to encourage spending.
Sales of 4×4 utes actually grew 10.6 per cent in June compared to June 2019.
| Segment | Volume H1 2020 | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| 4×2 utes | 13,239 | 3.0 per cent |
| 4×4 utes | 75,769 | 17.1 per cent |
4×2 ute sales
The Toyota HiLux remains the 4×2 fleet favourite, while the utilitarian Isuzu D-Max nabbed second spot as it approaches the end of its life.
The now-defunct Holden Colorado and Mercedes-Benz X-Class both played a small role, while the Ford Ranger trailed a number of the utes it dominates in the 4×4 segment.
| Model | Volume H1 2020 | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota HiLux | 5072 | 38.3 per cent |
| Isuzu D-Max | 2011 | 15.2 per cent |
| Mazda BT-50 | 1490 | 11.3 per cent |
| Mitsubishi Triton | 1373 | 10.4 per cent |
| Ford Ranger | 1060 | 8.0 per cent |
| Nissan Navara | 979 | 7.4 per cent |
| Holden Colorado | 682 | 5.2 per cent |
| Great Wall Steed | 544 | 4.1 per cent |
| Mercedes-Benz X-Class | 27 | 0.2 per cent |
| Volkswagen Amarok | 1 | 0.0 per cent |
4×4 ute sales
The Ford Ranger is the king, but only by the slimmest of margins.
With the excellent Wildtrak and a raft of special edition models to choose from, buyers favoured the Ranger over the HiLux, but the gap between the two is tiny.
The Mitsubishi Triton follows in third, but has half the sales of the Ranger and HiLux.
As the for the Holden Colorado? Holden always argued it should have been a better seller, with plenty of tech and sharp prices.
Turns out it took a fire sale linked to the brand’s closure in Australia to achieve that.
| Model | Volume H1 2020 | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| Ford Ranger | 17,406 | 23.0 per cent |
| Toyota HiLux | 17,276 | 22.8 per cent |
| Mitsubishi Triton | 8244 | 10.9 per cent |
| Holden Colorado | 6030 | 8.0 per cent |
| Toyota LandCruiser 70 ute | 4928 | 6.5 per cent |
| Isuzu D-Max | 4595 | 6.1 per cent |
| Nissan Navara | 4498 | 5.9 per cent |
| Mazda BT-50 | 3741 | 4.9 per cent |
| Volkswagen Amarok | 3548 | 4.7 per cent |
| LDV T60 | 1819 | 2.4 per cent |
| Ram 1500 | 1710 | 2.3 per cent |
| Mercedes-Benz X-Class | 1066 | 1.4 per cent |
| Ssangyong Musso | 378 | 0.5 per cent |
| Great Wall Steed | 280 | 0.4 per cent |
| Jeep Gladiator | 161 | 0.2 per cent |
| Ram 2500/3500 | 17 | 0.0 per cent |
Combined ute sales
Thanks to strong demand for 4×2 models, the Toyota HiLux remains the best-selling vehicle in Australia, let alone the best-selling ute.
It’s followed by the Ford Ranger, with its strong 4×4 sales carrying the majority of the load.
The Mitsubishi Triton rounded out the podium, followed closely by the Holden Colorado. That won’t be the case in the second half of 2020.
The Isuzu D-Max finished in fifth place, as dealers clear current stock ahead of the new model’s arrival later this year.
| Model | Volume H1 2020 |
|---|---|
| Toyota HiLux | 22,348 |
| Ford Ranger | 18,472 |
| Mitsubishi Triton | 9617 |
| Holden Colorado | 6712 |
| Isuzu D-Max | 6606 |
| Nissan Navara | 5477 |
| Mazda BT-50 | 5231 |
| Toyota LandCruiser 70 ute | 4928 |
| Volkswagen Amarok | 3549 |
| LDV T60 | 1819 |
| Ram 1500 | 1710 |
| Mercedes-Benz X-Class | 1093 |
| Great Wall Steed | 824 |
| Ssangyong Musso | 378 |
| Jeep Gladiator | 161 |
| Ram 2500/3500 | 17 |
What do we expect from the second half of 2020?
A flood of new utes are coming later this year.
We’ve already seen the new Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max, both of which arrive in the second half of 2020.
With an updated version of the four-cylinder engine from the current D-Max and a more upmarket interior, they’ll give the Ranger and HiLux more to think about.
An updated Toyota HiLux is also due in September, with more power, a more refined ride, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Expect sales of the Colorado and X-Class to peter out as stock dwindles, while there may be a small dip in BT-50 and D-Max sales during the model changeover.
