Crisis? What crisis? Australia's new-car market booms in 2023 with biggest result ever as electric vehicle sales continue to soar

Australia's new-car market boomed in 2023, with the result defying any talk of interest rates or a cost-of-living crisis, with a total 1,216,780 vehicles delivered during the year.

It was massive result, and the biggest ever. The closest year past was 2017, when 1,189,116 vehicles were delivered.

As usual, Toyota remains Australia's new-car giant, responsible for more than 17 percent of all sales, and delivering a total 215,240 vehicles last year.

Next was Mazda, which managed 100,008 sales, followed by Ford with 87,800 deliveries. Kia (76,120) and Hyundai (75,183) rounded out the top-five. Spots six through 10 were occupied by Mitsubishi (63,511), MG (58,346), Tesla (46,116), Subaru (46,114) and Isuzu (45,341).

Ford now sells Australia's most-popular vehicle, with the Ranger (63,356 sales) ending the HiLux's reign (61,111 sales). The Isuzu D-Max finished third for 2023 (31,202), followed by the Toyota RAV4 (29,627) and MG ZS (29,258). The Tesla Model Y (28,769 sales) is the first pure EV on the list, finishing in sixth place.

When it comes to what's powering our vehicles, Petrol remains the dominant player, with 588,622 sales. Diesel finished second, with 379,512 sales. In the new-energy stakes, hybrids accounted for 98,439 sales, while BEVs continued their march, tallying 87,217 sales, up from 33,410 sales in 2022.

"This extraordinary result is a testament to the adaptability and resilience of both industry players and consumers alike. Despite the supply chain disruptions faced in recent times, consumers now have greater access to a broad range of choices, fostering increased accessibility in the market," says FCAI chief executive Tony Weber.

“This is a tremendously exciting time for the industry. Consumers have a wide choice of vehicles available to meet their work, recreation and family needs that come equipped with the latest advancements in engine technology, safety features and advanced driving, navigation and entertainment aids."