Top 10 selling vehicles of 2018

Passenger cars are on the wane in Australia and SUVs are an irresistible force in the market.

But the two best-selling models Down Under this year were the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger – both light commercial vehicles ... or 'utes' in the Aussie vernacular.

VFACTS sales figures for the full year are unavailable until the first week of January, but there’s no chance either pick-up model line will be overtaken for the top two spots in 2018.

And what's very clear from the list of top 10 sellers in 2018 is the popularity of certain vehicle types. Three are light commercial vehicles of the one-tonne ute variety, four are small cars and three are medium SUVs.

We're now living in the future – a future without large or even mid-size passenger cars selling strongly.

1. Toyota HiLux

Despite its reputation, the Toyota HiLux has not remained Australia's favourite vehicle without being the subject of some controversy.

But buyers appear unperturbed by that, and in a shrinking market the HiLux has powered ahead this year, recording nearly 5300 more sales than during the same period in 2017.

With a month of sales remaining, the HiLux 4x2 and 4x4 has found 47,834 homes and will almost certainly break the 50,000-unit mark by year's end.

Read a Toyota HiLux review

2. Ford Ranger

Although the current Ford Ranger has been around since 2011, it was successfully refreshed during the year and is now available with an impressive new ‘Panther’ 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel.

The same 157kW/500Nm Bi-Turbo engine also powers the wicked new Ranger Raptor, more than 1000 of which were delivered between August and December, at $75,000 a pop.

To the end of November the Ranger had notched up 38,779 registrations (4x2 and 4x4 combined). Another 3000 sales in December (plus the rest) will take the Ranger's total for 2018 above 40,000 units.

Read a Ford Ranger review

3. Toyota Corolla

Toyota has cracked it again for a top-10 entry, only one of three brands to do so.

The Corolla has been Australia's favourite car in the past, but even a new model in 2018 can't reel in its tradie stablemate, the HiLux, or Ford's rampaging Ranger.

Sales at the end of November had reached 33,009 for Toyota's small car, with the prospect of more sales in December likely taking it above 35,000 for the full year.

Read a Toyota Corolla review

4. Mazda3 

Like the Corolla, the Mazda3 has previously been a favourite car in the Australian market – for two consecutive years from 2011. A new model is on the way and will lob here around Autumn of 2019.

In the meantime the current model continues to rack up good figures for Mazda, achieving 28,780 sales up to the end of November, with December certain to take the small car over 30,000 for the year.

Read a Mazda3 review

5. Hyundai i30

It has been bolstered this year by the arrival of a hot-hatch variant, the sold-out i30 N, but the Hyundai i30 has been steadily plugging away, bringing up the rear in a trio of small cars occupying third, fourth and fifth places in sales.

The i30 has regularly won comparisons this year, mainly for its good value, respectable warranty and appealing dynamics. And the buying public have taken to it as well, purchasing 26,416 examples in Australia during the first 11 months of 2018.

Read a Hyundai i30

6. Mazda CX-5

The relatively lowly ranking of the Mazda CX-5 in the top 10 for 2018 belies the medium SUV's astonishing sales performance, leading the segment every year since 2012 and making it Australia’s top-selling SUV bar none.

Mazda has just introduced turbo-petrol power for the GT and Akera grades, setting up the CX-5 for another lucrative year in 2019. Sales through to the end of November this year totalled 24,183, and even on the most pessimistic forecast the CX-5 will top 25,000 before the end of the year.

Read a Mazda CX-5 review

7. Mitsubishi Triton

There's an upgraded Mitsubishi Triton on the way, but Aussies aren't done with the current model just yet.

To the end of November 2018, Mitsubishi's trusty workhorse has attracted 22,896 buyers, so it's an even chance of making it to 25,000 sales before the new year.

Read a Mitsubishi Triton review

8. Nissan X-TRAIL

While the Nissan X-TRAIL is not the connoisseur's choice of medium SUV, it does provide dependable and functional transport for families on a budget.

And among its peers in the massive mid-size SUV segment the X-TRAIL is one that will actually tackle some off-road terrain. Selling 19,531 vehicles to the end of November 2018, the X-TRAIL will easily crack the 20,000 mark before the end of this year.

Read a Nissan X-Trail review

9. Hyundai Tucson

Renewed just a few months ago, the Hyundai Tucson is the third medium SUV to make an appearance in this year’s VFACTS top 10.

The Tucson offers all the virtues of its smaller passenger-car sibling, the i30, in an SUV package. With just one month remaining, the Tucson could make it to 20,000 sales from its year-to-date figure of 18,336.

Read a 2018 Hyundai Tucson review

10. Volkswagen Golf 

It's not the newest small car in the market, but the Volkswagen Golf remains a steady seller and easily VW's most popular product Down Under.

Version 7.5 of the iconic German hatch has been available here since 2017 and has lifted sales year on year, against an overall sales downturn for the brand and the small-car segment. Depending on its December result, the Golf should exceed 19,000 sales for 2018.

Read a Volkswagen Golf comparison