The new Aussie champ

MORE CARS THAN EVER WERE SOLD IN 2023 AND A DECEMBER UPSET SAW THE FORD RANGER BEAT THE TOYOTA HILUX TO BECOME THE NATION'S TOP-SELLING VEHICLE

- JORDAN HICKEY

THE AUSTRALIAN new-car market posted its best yearly result ever in 2023, as supply caught up with demand in a record-breaking second half.

According to official new-car sales results from the Federal Chamber of Automobile Industries (FCAI), 98,544 vehicles were registered in December for a cumulative total of 1,216,780 vehicles in 2023 – beating the previous annual record of 1,189,166 cars in 2017.

Top-selling brand Toyota sold 19,281 vehicles in December, followed by Ford (9826) and Mazda (6765) in second and third place. The Ford Ranger scored first place in December with 7767 units – an all-time monthly sales record for the nameplate – providing the ammunition to end the Toyota Hilux’s seven-year run as Australia’s top-selling vehicle.

In 2023, 63,356 examples of the Ford Ranger were sold in Australia, compared to 61,111 Toyota HiLuxes.