Australia’s new car sales record was broken for the third year in a row in 2025, according to the latest VFACTS data, with 1,241,037 new registrations eclipsing the previous year’s benchmark by just 0.3%. That growth has been spearheaded by the SUV segment, which has risen to become by far the most popular choice among Australian families.
In 2015, SUVs made up 35.4% of the new vehicle sales market, behind passenger vehicles (44.6%) among all vehicle segments. Fast forward to 2025, though, and that market share has skyrocketed to 60.7%, leaving passenger cars in the dust (13.0%).
So, more than three out of every five new cars sold in Australia now are SUVs. How did that happen? Well, the simple answer is that the market became more accessible for everyday Aussies. SUVs started to get cheaper, which is thanks in no small part to the influx of Chinese manufacturers.
China’s impact on the most popular cars in Australia
The effect China’s budget-friendly manufacturers and models are having on the new car market is obvious. VFACTS data shows that three of the top ten most popular car makes in 2025 were Chinese: Great Wall Motors (GWM), BYD and MG.
Among Savvy customers in 2025, three of the top eight best-selling models were Chinese SUVs: the Haval Jolion (second), Chery Tiggo 4 (third) and LDV D90 (eighth). The BYD Sealion 6, Haval H6 and Chery Tiggo 4 Pro also appeared in our 20 most popular models for the year.
GWM and Chery were also among Savvy’s top three best-selling car makes in 2025, with BYD (eighth) making its way into the top ten as well to form a strong Chinese contingent.
Contrast these stats with 2024’s, though, and the difference is plain to see. Of our 20 most popular models from 2024, only the Jolion and H6 were present, with the Jolion being the sole representative in the top ten (fifth).
While GWM and Chery still made the top ten for car makes, they sat at the less glamorous spots of fourth and tenth, respectively. Those numbers are backed up by looking at VFACTS data from the 2024 calendar year, where only MG (seventh) and GWM (tenth) made the top ten manufacturers.
Interestingly, the best-selling Chinese model in 2024 was the MG ZS, which was the ninth-most popular car in Australia. In 2025, that mantle belonged to the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, which finished 11th.
Chinese market share rises in 2025
China’s grip on the Australian market is tightening, with the table below showing how its state and privately-owned manufacturers have significantly increased their sales and market share over the last 12 months:
As you can see, the total sales for Chinese-owned manufacturers increased by 42.8%, while their total market share rose from 12.3% to 17.4%. For reference, that equates to just under one out of every eight new cars sold in Australia in 2024, compared to more than one in six new cars in 2025.
It isn’t hard to see why. BYD, Chery, GWM, Jaecoo and MG all offer SUVs with starting prices under $40,000 in 2026, including some electric models, while Geely, LDV, Leapmotor and Zeekr offer SUVs starting at less than $50,000.
“We’re increasingly seeing our customers turn to brands like Chery and GWM simply because they produce cars suitable for young families who are on the market for budget-friendly options”, Savvy car loans expert Phil Goedecke said.
“Cost of living pressures continue to rear their ugly heads in Australia, so any opportunities singles, couples or families have to save money are gold.
“The Haval Jolion, for example, is a highly competitive small SUV at a starting price of less than $26,000 in 2026, while the same can be said for the Tiggo 4 (from $21,990) as a light SUV.
“Repayments on a new Jolion will be closer to $500 per month, compared to a new Toyota RAV4, which is around $885 per month (based on a five-year loan term at 5.85% p.a., the minimum rate available through Savvy in January 2026).
“That’s a difference of nearly $400 that a family can put towards other costs every month.”
SUVs now, utes next?
China has obviously made a splash in the SUV market, but we’re also starting to see more utes popping up to rival established favourites like the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu Ute D-Max.
The BYD Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute that made a successful entrance to Australian shores last year, racking up 18,073 new registrations to land in the top 20 best-selling models for the year. It was also the tenth most-popular model financed through Savvy in 2025.
GWM also has its own line of utes in the Cannon and Cannon Alpha, while the JAC T9 and LDV T60 Max are growing in popularity.
There are more on the way, too. Those ready to make their mark in 2026 include the MG MGU9, Foton Tunland, Deepal E07 and Geely Riddara, bringing more competition to the ute market and, more importantly, more choice to Aussie business owners and outdoor adventurers.