VFACTS August shows Chinese brands continuing rapid growth

Chinese-built vehicle sales surged 79.7 per cent year on year in August, with BYD, Geely, Chery, GWM and Zeekr among the brands driving another huge month for Chinese car sales.

More than one in every three new cars sold in Australia last month was built in China, with the latest VFACTS figures showing just how quickly Chinese-built vehicles have gained ground.

Year to date, sales of China-built vehicles are up 72.6 per cent to almost 245,000.

That figure isn't entirely made up of Chinese brands, either, with China-built models including the Mazda 6e, Volvo EX30 and electrified Mini Countryman also contributing to the total.

BYD remains the standout, with more than 68,000 sales so far this year – more than double its tally at the same point in 2025. Chery has also continued its strong run, while GWM has now passed 39,000 sales for the year.

Geely is another major growth story, recording 4504 sales in August and 19,159 for the year so far. Its EX5 remains the brand's biggest seller, while the Starray EM-i and new EX2 are adding further volume.

More models are on the way, too, with Geely having already confirmed further additions to its Australian range, including the Emgrand L EM-i plug-in hybrid, giving the brand more segments to target.

Zeekr has made an even more dramatic jump, with 2120 sales in August compared with just 88 in the same month last year – an increase of more than 2300 per cent. Its 2026 tally has now passed 10,000, led by its Tesla Model Y rival, the 7X electric SUV.

The brand is also expanding its range, with the 7GT electric wagon and larger 9X flagship SUV among the models confirmed for Australia.

Leapmotor, meanwhile, remains a much smaller player. Its August sales rose from 29 to 112, taking its year-to-date tally to 1022.

But even with more conservative growth, the contrast is particularly stark when compared with some of the country's established brands.

Mitsubishi, Nissan, Hyundai and Kia recorded significant declines in August, falling 42.6, 33.4, 15.3 and 12.2 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, sales of Japanese-built vehicles fell 12.8 per cent in August and 20.6 per cent year to date, providing another indication of just how quickly the balance of Australia's new-car market is shifting.

And this is all happening while the Australian new-car market itself is barely moving, with total sales up just 0.4 per cent in August and fractionally below last year's level year to date.

With the Australian new-car market essentially flat and more than 70 brands now competing for buyers, the rapid expansion of Chinese manufacturers is putting increasing pressure on established players, particularly those already struggling to maintain volume.

Peugeot and Citroen are obvious examples of brands that have struggled to find their place in an increasingly crowded market, while the wider Stellantis stable is also facing pressure across several of its marques.

The question now is how many brands can realistically continue to grow – or even maintain their position – when the overall pool of new-car buyers isn't getting any bigger.

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