20 Most Popular Cars in Australia (With Pictures)
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Australia is a big country with plenty of diverse terrain, and this is most evident when you look at the popular vehicles across the country. There are even a few vehicles that you might not recognize if you don’t live on the continent!
Here’s a list of 20 of the best-selling cars in Australia. There are clear trends, notably that Australians like Toyotas, and the vehicles that didn’t make the cut might surprise you too!
The 20 Most Popular Cars in Australia
1. Toyota Hilux
| 2021 Sales: | 52,801 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
Australians love trucks and Toyotas, and nothing highlights this quite like the fact that the Toyota Hilux is the top-selling vehicle in the country year after year.
Toyota sold more than 52,000 trucks in 2021, which was more than any other vehicle in the country, and Toyota sold more than 17,000 more Hilux trucks than the next non-truck vehicle in the country.
2. Ford Ranger
| 2021 Sales: | 50,279 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
Australians love trucks, and that’s why the second most popular vehicle in the entire country is another truck. The Ford Ranger falls just below the Toyota Hilux in total sale numbers, but it’s still far higher than the next vehicle on this list.
3. Toyota RAV4
| 2021 Sales: | 35,751 |
| Vehicle Class: | Compact SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Toyota RAV4 isn’t quite as popular as either the Ford Ranger or the Toyota Hilux, though it’s the first non-truck to make this list. It still has the Toyota name, and it sits up high off the ground for a more rugged appearance. It’s a truck that fits Australia through and through.
4. Toyota Corolla
| 2021 Sales: | 28,768 |
| Vehicle Class: | Sedan |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Toyota Corolla is the first sedan to make this list, but it’s already the third Toyota vehicle. Interestingly, it’s the third best-selling Toyota vehicle in Australia, but it’s the number-one seller worldwide. That just goes to show how much Australians prefer vehicles that sit higher off the ground.
5. Hyundai i30
| 2021 Sales: | 25,575 |
| Vehicle Class: | Sedan |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Hyundai i30 is a compact sedan, making it extremely different from every other vehicle on this list so far. It has good sales numbers, though at this point, we’re at half the total sales from the top sellers.
6. Isuzu D-Max
| 2021 Sales: | 25,117 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
While Isuzu doesn’t have a vehicle line in the United States anymore, it’s doing quite well in Australia and in other parts of the world. The D-Max is one of its trucks, and it’s similar in size to the Ranger and the Hilux.
However, it’s a low-end model that doesn’t cost as much, and Isuzu still only manages half as many sales as either the Ranger or the Hilux.
7. Mazda CX-5
| 2021 Sales: | 24,968 |
| Vehicle Class: | Compact SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
This is the first Mazda vehicle to make this list, and while it doesn’t enjoy the same level of success in Australia as it does in other parts of the world, it’s still one of the top-selling SUVs in Australia. Mazda is pushing to create more off-road capable vehicles in the future, which bodes well for its success in Australia.
8. Toyota Prado
| 2021 Sales: | 21,299 |
| Vehicle Class: | SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 8 |
If you’re looking for a popular vehicle in Australia that seats more than five people, this is the first one on this list, though it’s another Toyota vehicle. Toyota rules just about every class of vehicle in Australia!
9. Mitsubishi Triton
| 2021 Sales: | 19,232 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Mitsubishi Triton is a truck that does extremely well in the Australian market. It sits high off the ground and many models are extremely off-road capable, both of which help endear this truck in the hearts of many Australians.
10. MG ZS
| 2021 Sales: | 18,423 |
| Vehicle Class: | Subcompact crossover |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
MG is a Chinese auto manufacturer, and China is just a hop and a skip away from Australia. The top offering from MG in Australia is the ZS, which is a subcompact crossover that sits higher off the ground than most sedans.
11. Kia Cerato
| 2021 Sales: | 18,114 |
| Vehicle Class: | Sedan |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The top-selling Kia in Australia is the Kia Cerato, though it’s eleventh overall. For the Americans who don’t know what the Cerato is, Kia markets the same car there, but it’s called the Kia Forte.
12. Mazda BT-50
| 2021 Sales: | 15,662 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
While it’s not available in every market, the BT-50 does quite well in Australia. With well over 15,000 trucks sold in 2021, it was the 12th most popular new vehicle in Australia that year. That’s a fraction of the success of the Hilux or Ranger, but having over 15,000 sales is nothing to sneeze at!
| 2021 Sales: | 15,113 |
| Vehicle Class: | Truck |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Nissan Navara is a small truck that is quite popular in Australia. While it’s similar to the Nissan Frontier, there are a few differences that endear people to both versions of this Nissan truck.
14. Mitsubishi ASX
| 2021 Sales: | 14,764 |
| Vehicle Class: | Subcompact SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
Mitsubishi has quite a few vehicles on this list, and the ASX is a subcompact SUV that does well in Australia. It sits high off the ground, and while it only seats five, its rugged design enables it to handle Australian roads with ease.
15. Mitsubishi Outlander
| 2021 Sales: | 14,572 |
| Vehicle Class: | Compact SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 7 |
The Mitsubishi Outlander is just the second vehicle on this list that seats more than five people, and it’s the first one that Toyota doesn’t make. It’s a great family car, and it does well in just about every market, so it’s no surprise to see it thriving in Australia.
16. Toyota LandCruiser Wagon
| 2021 Sales: | 14,356 |
| Vehicle Class: | SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 8 |
The Toyota LandCruiser Wagon is the fifth Toyota vehicle to make this list, and considering how similar the LandCruiser Wagon is to the Prado, that only makes this addition even more impressive.
17. Hyundai Tucson
| 2021 Sales: | 14,194 |
| Vehicle Class: | Compact SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
The Hyundai Tucson is a well-known vehicle worldwide and has found success in Australia too. As a subcompact SUV, it doesn’t have much space for everyone, but it fits the style of vehicle most Australians like.
18. Mazda3
| 2021 Sales: | 14,126 |
| Vehicle Class: | Sedan |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
At first, the Mazda3 seems like a bit of an oddball on this list. It’s a small sedan, but with Mazda pushing for a more rugged and off-road feel, it’s done well in Australia. It’s not an off-road monster, but compared to other vehicles in the same class, it does a bit better.
19. Nissan X-Trail
| 2021 Sales: | 13,860 |
| Vehicle Class: | SUV |
| Number of Seats: | 7 |
The Nissan X-Trail might not be the prettiest vehicle on this list, but it does have a more off-road appearance than some other SUVs. This look makes it more appealing to those in Australia, which is why Nissan sold nearly 14,000 units in 2021 alone.
20. MG3
| 2021 Sales: | 13,774 |
| Vehicle Class: | Hatchback |
| Number of Seats: | 5 |
This is the second MG vehicle to crack the top 20 in total sales in Australia, and it’s a surprising addition. It’s a small car that sits close to the ground, but with a hatchback body style, there’s more room for storage.
Conclusion
If you’re heading to the land down under, you might see a few new vehicles, but what’s surprising is just how much selection there is. You’ll see plenty of vehicles that sit high off the ground to help tackle the rough terrain, but there are many makes and models to pick from!
Featured Image Credit: Stephen Andrews, Unsplash
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