In 2023, the most popular vehicle among private buyers in Australia was an electric one. The Tesla Model Y secured the top spot in private sales, despite ranking sixth in overall sales and carrying a starting price of $65,400 before on-road costs. Australia saw 28,769 Model Y units sold during the year, with a significant portion of 20,577 units, or 71.52 percent, being purchased by private individuals. Notably, this marks the first instance of an electric vehicle claiming the top position in private sales.
This contrasts with the overall best-selling vehicle in Australia for the same year, the Ford Ranger. While 63,356 units of the Ford Ranger were sold, only 17,176, or 27.1 percent, were acquired by private buyers. The majority of Ford Ranger sales went to business, government, and rental car fleets.
In the record-setting year of 2023, Australia witnessed the sale of 1,216,780 vehicles. Of these, 630,297 were purchased by private buyers, constituting 51.8 percent of the total new car sales. The remaining vehicles were distributed among business fleets (429,634 units), rental fleets (71,274 units), and government fleets (33,803 units).
Examining the top 20 best-selling cars among private buyers reveals a distinct lineup compared to the overall top 20. The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, and Isuzu D-Max, which secured the top positions overall, dropped to fourth, eighth, and 11th place, respectively, when fleet sales were excluded.
Other notable shifts include the MG ZS surpassing the Toyota RAV4, the Hyundai i30 extending its lead over the Toyota Corolla, and the Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Triton, and Ford Everest falling out of the top 20. In their place, the BYD Atto 3, Mazda CX-30, and Kia Seltos made their way onto the list. The BYD Atto 3, in particular, stood out with an impressive private sales percentage of 97.7 percent, with no units recorded as going to government or rental fleets.
The table below provides a snapshot of the top models in private sales, showcasing the percentage of overall sales they represented:
| Model | Private Sales | Percentage of Overall Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y | 20,577 | 71.5% |
| MG ZS | 20,303 | 69.4% |
| Toyota RAV4 | 17,861 | 60.3% |
| Ford Ranger | 17,176 | 27.1% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 15,577 | 67.5% |
| Hyundai i30 | 15,059 | 73% |
| Hyundai Tucson | 13,932 | 63% |
| Toyota HiLux | 13,738 | 22.5% |
| Tesla Model 3 | 13,109 | 75.6% |
| Mazda CX-3 | 11,605 | 73.6% |
| Isuzu D-Max | 11,415 | 36.6% |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 11,382 | 47% |
| MG 3 | 10,827 | 70.2% |
| BYD Atto 3 | 10,794 | 97.7% |
| Toyota LandCruiser Prado | 10,414 | 50.3% |
| Subaru Forester | 10,284 | 62.8% |
| Mazda CX-30 | 10,210 | 77.8% |
| Kia Sportage | 9,193 | 58.4% |
| Kia Seltos | 8,798 | 84% |
| Toyota Corolla | 8,442 | 42.2% |
