Key points
  • Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) surged in November, with year-to-date sales up 130%, while petrol vehicle sales continued to decline.
  • Men are adopting EVs faster than women, with factors such as upfront costs, charging access, and range anxiety affecting women’s adoption rates.
  • Toyota remained the top-selling brand, led by the RAV4, followed by the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux as the most popular models.
 

Australia's new vehicle sales amassed 97,037 in November, down 2.1% from November last year.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) dominated November sales, racking up 4,768 units across passenger, SUV, and light commercial segments

The PHEV boom shows no signs of slowing, with year-to-date sales leaping 130% to 47,565.

Petrol vehicles, meanwhile, are on a steady decline, dropping 18% in November and 9.5% for 2025.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said the figures signal a clear and lasting change in what drives buyer choices.

"Plug-in hybrids continue to gain momentum because they give drivers the benefit of electric travel for daily use while removing range concerns. Consumers are looking for flexible, low-emission choices and brands are meeting that demand," Mr Weber said.

"Petrol's decline is part of a long-term global market transition. We are seeing strong interest in hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and this trend will only accelerate as more models arrive."

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also continue their climb, capturing 9.1% of November sales, up from 6.5% last year, and 8.2% of the year-to-date market.

Who's driving the EV switch?

Data from leasing company Smart shows women are adopting electric vehicles at a slower pace than men. While EV leases have doubled this year, a gap in adoption rates remains.

During the third quarter, EVs accounted for 53% of leases among men, versus 38% among women, according to leasing figures from Smart.

Smart Customer Education Specialist Sophie Mussared said customer insights reveal multiple factors are influencing why women are adopting electric vehicles more gradually than men.

"Upfront costs, access to charging infrastructure, range anxiety and knowledge gaps are some of the more common reasons women are delaying the switch to electric," she said.

Smart's novated leases for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have dropped sharply over the past six months following the Federal Government's removal of the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption for hybrids.

"Interestingly, our data shows that male car buyers seemed to switch fairly quickly from those vehicles to full EVs after the PHEV discount ended, while women were more likely to switch from PHEVs to a conventional petrol or diesel powered car," Ms Mussared said.

Top 10 car brands by sales volume in November 2025

Brand

Volume

Share

1

Toyota

221,322

19.9%

2

Ford

85,858

7.7%

3

Mazda

84,361

7.6%

4

Kia

76,004

6.8%

5

Hyundai

71,568

6.4%

6

Mitsubishi

56,778

5.1%

7

GWM

47,934

4.3%

8

BYD

45,672

4.1%

9

MG

38,848

3.5%

10

Isuzu Ute

38,830

3.5%

Toyota topped the market in November, ahead of Ford and Mazda, outselling its nearest rival by 12,380 units and holding a 12.8-point lead in market share.

Top 10 most popular cars in November 2025

  1. Toyota RAV4 - 6,390 sales
  2. Ford Ranger - 4,673
  3. Toyota HiLux - 3,418
  4. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro - 2,287
  5. Isuzu Ute D-Max - 2,119
  6. Ford Everest - 2,097
  7. Hyundai Kona - 2,008
  8. Mitsubishi Outlander - 2,006
  9. Hyundai Tucson - 1,942
  10. Mazda CX-5 - 1,879

Toyota's RAV4 led model sales with 6,390, trailed by the Ford Ranger at 4,673 and the HiLux at 3,418.

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