New vehicle sales steady in January 2026 – fcai.com.au

February 4, 2026 admin

Australia’s new vehicle market recorded 87,092 sales in January 2026, an increase of 288 vehicles (0.3  per cent) compared with January last year, according to figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the January result points to a steady start to the year, with consumer demand broadly consistent across key vehicle segments.
“January’s figures show a market that is stable, with Australians continuing to purchase vehicles that meet their needs for work, family and lifestyle,” Mr Weber said.
A decline in petrol vehicles of 14 per cent in January sales highlights a gradual shift in buyer preference towards electrified technologies, particularly hybrids and plug‑in hybrids.
In January, 5,161 plug-in hybrids were sold (5.9 per cent of sales), a 170.5 per cent increase on January 2025. Hybrid vehicles made up 17.4 per cent of sales, while battery electric vehicles accounted for 8.4 per cent of the market from all sources.
“We are seeing fewer petrol vehicles sold and rapid growth in plug‑in hybrids, while uptake of hybrid and battery electric vehicles is more stable,” Mr Weber said.
The figures show that China is now firmly established as the second‑largest source of vehicles behind Japan, with vehicles from China growing by 68.6 per cent over the past year.
Toyota remained the market leader with sales of 14,310 during January, followed by Mazda (7,692), Kia (6,116), Ford (6,600) and Hyundai (5,856). The top models were the Ford Ranger (3,403) Toyota HiLux, Mazda CX‑5, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Mitsubishi Outlander.
Sales in the Australian Capital Territory rose 2.0 per cent to 1,160; New South Wales increased 2.3 per cent to 26,305; the Northern Territory decreased 18.1 per cent to 628; Queensland fell 0.7 per cent to 18,782; South Australia declined 3.0 per cent to 5,619; Tasmania fell 0.8 per cent to 1,424; Victoria increased 6.3 per cent to 24,222; and Western Australia decreased 12.7 per cent to 8,952.
VFACTS JANUARY 2026
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