The best-selling vehicles in January & insights on Australian consumers

2024 is off to a big start with new vehicle sale results

Each month, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries releases a report detailing the top-selling vehicles across Australia. Pickles’ monthly vehicle report presents the top 10 vehicles from this list and recounts industry news and trends as they affect the Australian market.

Market snapshot

January kicked 2024 off with a big bang, with new cars sales again reaching record breaking highs. This marks the tenth consecutive month of growth for the sector, and is largely unsurprising given the huge high the industry finished on in 2023. However strong recent motor vehicle results have been, there are still many industry insiders who speculate that the inflated marketplace may soon drop once the backlog of buyers is finally fulfilled. However, a large customer base of government and fleet vendors are currently enjoying having their overdue orders arrive and are keen to see pipeline fulfilled in the near future.  

While sellers have noted a decline in general dealership traffic in the last year, there is still lots of industry movement given the harsh economic environment. With massive numbers of backlogged orders being fulfilled by dealerships across the country, it’s likely that we’ll see at least several more months of high sales results. As more and more assets enter the marketplace, we could see a dip in used car prices, however these prices are expected only to revert to pre-COVID prices instead of bottoming out. 

Low emission car models remained steady in January, however the sale of battery electric vehicles has certainly plateaued in recent months which could be due to changes in government incentives. The consumer preference for SUVs and utes continued through the month, with buyers buckling down on their purchases amidst the introduction of the New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES). 

Most popular vehicles | January 2024

1. Ford Ranger - 4,747 units sold in January

The Ford Ranger finished 2023 on top and is starting 2024 in the same way, with over 4,700 units sold in January. The Ford Ranger is well known for its workhorse features while maintaining a stylish exterior and is a popular choice amidst Australian consumers. 

2. Toyota HiLux - 4,092 units sold in January

The Toyota HiLux also had an impressive year in 2023 and is still strong in second place, with over 4,000 units sold in January. The Hilux is a versatile and powerful Australian favourite, popular with both private and business buyers. Check out all of the quality used HiLux models available at Pickles. 

3. Isuzu UTE D-MAX - 2,541 units sold in January

The D-MAX also retained its position on the top selling list, with a 37.9% jump in sales compared YoY. For car buyers looking for the practicality of a work vehicle along with the versatility of a family car, the D-MAX is a popular car choice.

4. Toyota RAV4 - 2,211 units sold in January

The RAV4 is one of Australia’s most popular vehicles, with just over 2,200 units sold throughout January. Given the RAV4 is always in high demand, keeping up to date with Pickles’ sales is the best way to purchase a quality used model. 

5. Mitsubishi Outlander - 2,077 units sold in January

Sales of Mitsubishi Outlander units were solid in January, with a big jump in sales for the month with over 2,000 units bought. As a staple of the Australian car market, buyers are lucky to have access to a wide variety of used Outlander models featured in Pickles’ sales.  

6. Toyota Corolla - 1,889 units sold in January

The compact Toyota Corolla had another consecutive month of good sales results, with just shy of 1,900 units sold during January. While less popular than other Toyota makes, the Corolla is known for its serious reliability and cheap maintenance costs.

7. MG ZS - 1,888 units sold in January

MG vehicles finished 2023 with a slight dip in sales, though results for January 2024 were steady with over 1,800 units sold. ZS sales were consistently strong throughout the year, resulting in the model being the eighth most sold vehicle in Australia overall in 2023.

8. Toyota Prado - 1,746 units sold in January

The Toyota Prado dropped down the top selling list in January, with a decline in sales for the month but strong results compared YoY. The Prado had a late start in 2023, with back ordered stock finally reaching Australia mid year. As models continue arriving we are likely to see more of the Prado in the top 10 sellers each month in 2024.

9. Hyundai i30 - 1,727 units sold in January

The Hyundai i30 is one of Australia’s most popular compact vehicles, and is consistently a first choice for buyers looking for a compact hatchback or sedan. The i30 sold over 1,700 units in January, and luckily due to the popularity of the vehicles, there are plenty of quality used models available at Pickles sales.  

10.  Mazda CX-5 - 1,720 units sold in January

The stylish and compact Mazda CX-5 is a Japanese-made model and one of the reasons it is popular is because of its affordable price point in comparison to its competitors. Because the CX-5 has been on the Australian market for a few years, there are many used models available.  

12 Feb