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The Toyota HiLux gained’t be Toyota Australia’s best-seller for much longer given Australia has handed its ‘peak ute’ part and is shifting away from the physique fashion, says the automaker.
“You’ve heard me say it earlier than, and also you’ll hear me say it once more, however we consider the ute market has reached its peak,” mentioned Toyota Australia gross sales and advertising and marketing boss, Sean Hanley.
That’s regardless of the outgoing HiLux topping the October gross sales charts forward of the Ford Ranger – with the Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton making it 4 dual-cab utes within the prime ten best-sellers for the month.
In reality, total gross sales of utes have elevated in Australia in 2025 – regardless of 4×2 gross sales slowing – with nearly one-in-five new automobiles offered being a ute.
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The feedback got here at a press convention forward of the new-generation HiLux reveal, with Australian gross sales because of begin in December 2025 with diesel, battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell variations confirmed for native showrooms.
But Mr Hanley’s level comes after the Toyota RAV4 toppled HiLux in 2024 because the model’s hottest mannequin, with 58,718 offered in opposition to HiLux’s 53,499.
Gross sales of SUVs are up 6.0 per cent year-to-date, with the ‘Medium SUV’ class the RAV4 sits in up 1.3 per cent – whereas the sunshine industrial phase is up 0.3 per cent.
Each segments are outperforming the general market, which slowed by 1.1 per cent between January 1 and the top of October.
“Latest VFACTS [official sales figures] have definitely indicated that we now have already seen a shift in client preferences, with our RAV4 taking out the title of our best-selling car final yr,” Mr Hanley mentioned.
“I consider that that power of gross sales has and can proceed, has continued by means of the primary half of this yr,” he added.
“And even for a automotive that’s in run-out proper now, I can let you know, it’ll proceed proper by means of to the brand new mannequin – with our all-new RAV4 for arriving within the first half of subsequent yr, we count on that shift to speed up.
“The ute market, in the meantime, has been just about a two-horse race [between HiLux and Ranger], however there are new gamers persevering with to enter the market that I’ve little doubt will have an effect.”
That features the Kia Tasman, which notched simply 610 gross sales in October, in addition to Chinese language choices such because the MG U9, LDV Terron 9, BYD Shark 6 PHEV and JAC T9 dual-cabs.
“However we stay assured that our Hilux will maintain its personal in opposition to the brand new competitors and ship on what Australians demand in a ute, no matter Australians could use that car for,” Mr Hanley mentioned.
MORE: Discover the Toyota HiLux showroom
