VFACTS July 2026: Toyota reopens the gap on BYD as Australia posts its best July ever

Key takeaways

• Australia's best July on record at 108,577 sales
• Toyota RAV4 leads on 5,564 as HiLux beats Ranger
• EV share holds above one in five at 21.7%

Australia's new-car market has posted its strongest July on record. VFACTS July 2026 data confirms 108,577 new vehicles were reported as sold, past the previous July record of 104,244 set in 2025 and following June's all-time high of 140,058. Sales were up 4.2% year-on-year.

June ended with BYD 243 sales short of toppling Toyota. July ended with the old order looking a lot more like itself.

VFACTS July 2026 top 10 brands

Toyota held top spot with 20,409 sales, down 6.0% but nearly three times BYD's tally. Its year-to-date total of 115,550 is still well clear of the field.

BYD came back to earth on 7,857, up 70.5% but a long way from June's 18,881. The brand had said its June record was a feat unlikely to be repeated for some time, and it was right. Second place was still comfortable, with 60,192 sales this year already more than double last year's pace.

Kia took third on 6,553, with the Tasman ute managing just 382 sales, down 44%. That is a long way short of the 2,000 a month Kia forecast at launch.

Mazda finished fourth on 6,458, still waiting on plug-less hybrids, though the new 6e electric liftback outsold the Tesla Model 3, 283 to 134. Ford dropped to fifth on 6,400 and lost the 4x4 ute class to the HiLux.

Tesla was the only established brand to grow, up 421% to 4,778 on the back of the new Model Y L. Chery rose 46.6%, MG 42.4%, and Geely landed 3,685 sales for 11th, up 652%.

Top 10 models in July 2026

The Toyota RAV4 led the market for the first time since March, its best result since December. Toyota says about 40% of RAV4s delivered in July were plug-in hybrids, with the rest regular hybrids, as it chases 40,000 deliveries by year end.

2026 Toyota HiLux BEV SR5

The redesigned Toyota HiLux took second on 4,721 and beat the Ford Ranger in 4x4 sales, 4,119 to 3,827. The Ranger still leads year-to-date.

Tesla's Model Y is now reported in two parts, with 2,429 of the six-seat Model Y L and 2,215 of the standard car. Combined, 4,644 sales put it third.

Two cars that barely existed here a year ago made the top 10, with the Geely EX5 on 2,034 and the Zeekr 7X on 1,892.

EV share stays above one in five

Buyers took 23,510 EVs in July, 21.7% of the market and the second-biggest EV month on record behind June's 32,583. That is two months running above one in five, after a climb from 14.6% in March to 19.9% in May. EVs now hold 17.3% of the market for the year to date.

Add hybrids on 18,684 and plug-in hybrids on 10,359, up 157%, and electrified models made up 48.4% of everything sold. Petrol fell to 25.7% of the market from 38.3% a year ago, with diesel down to 22.8% from 30.3%.

July was also the final month of the fuel-excise discount introduced during the Middle East crisis, the same pressure at the bowser that drove much of the surge.

The industry's concern is what comes next. "There is a risk that the rapid increase in electric vehicle uptake in 2026 will outpace the supply of public charging infrastructure," Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said, calling for more capacity in regional areas and for buyers without a driveway to charge in.

China supplied about 35% of every new vehicle sold, at 38,555 units and up 93.0%, ahead of Japan on 26,292. New South Wales led on volume with 31,597 sales, while Western Australia was the standout, up 9.3% to 12,014.

Segment highlights

• Medium SUV under $65k: Toyota RAV4 (5,564) ahead of the BYD Sealion 7 (2,548)
• Medium SUV over $65k: Tesla Model Y L (2,429) ahead of the Zeekr 7X (1,892)
• Small SUV under $45k: Chery Tiggo 4 (2,156) held off the Hyundai Kona (2,096)
• Large SUV under $80k: Toyota Prado (2,082) pushed past the Ford Everest (1,697)
• 4x4 utes: Toyota HiLux (4,119) reclaimed the class from the Ford Ranger (3,827)
• Sports under $90k: Ford Mustang (155) stayed ahead of the Honda Prelude (77)

Why Toyota's 40,000 RAV4 target puts the Ranger's crown at risk

Toyota needs to average close to 5,700 RAV4 sales a month for the rest of 2026 to hit its stated 40,000 target, and July proved the supply is finally there. That makes the RAV4, not the Ranger, the model most likely to finish the year as Australia's best seller. A 40% plug-in hybrid mix also does far more for Toyota under NVES than another few thousand diesel HiLuxes ever could, while Ford's two volume products are both diesel four-wheel drives in a 4x4 ute segment that fell 15.2% for the month.

July was the last month of the fuel-excise discount. August is the month that shows whether one in five buyers chose an EV because of pump prices, or because they have changed their minds for good.

Frequently asked questions

What was Australia's best-selling car in July 2026?

The Toyota RAV4 was Australia's best-selling vehicle in July 2026 with 5,564 sales, its first month on top since March and its strongest result since December 2025.

Did BYD outsell Toyota in July 2026?

No. BYD finished second with 7,857 sales against Toyota's 20,409, a gap of 12,552 after coming within 243 sales in June. BYD had flagged its June result was unlikely to be repeated soon.

What was EV market share in Australia in July 2026?

Electric vehicles took 21.7% of the market with 23,510 sales, the second month running above one in five. Including hybrids and plug-in hybrids, electrified models made up 48.4% of all new vehicles sold.