Ford Ranger Maintains Lead Over Toyota HiLux in September Ute Sales Battle

The fierce rivalry between the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger continues, with the Ranger narrowly outperforming the HiLux as Australia’s best-selling Ute for September. According to VFACTS data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the Ford Ranger claimed more overall sales than its closest competitor, the Toyota HiLux, across both the 4x2 and 4x4 segments combined.

In the 4x2 segment, the Toyota HiLux led sales with 768 units, capturing a 34.9% market share. However, this figure represents a notable 26.6% decrease compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date (YTD), the HiLux has sold 5,570 units in this segment, holding a 27.5% share — a significant 40.9% decline from 2023. Meanwhile, the Ford Ranger sold 298 units in the 4x2 market in September, representing a 13.5% market share. This is a 2.3% drop from last year, but YTD, the Ranger holds 18.7% of the segment with 3,803 units sold, reflecting a more modest 7.7% decrease.

In the highly competitive 4x4 segment, the Ford Ranger secured a decisive lead, with 4,187 units sold in September, translating to a 26.0% market share. Despite an 18.3% decline compared to September last year, the Ranger’s YTD performance remains strong, totaling 44,559 units sold and holding a 28.4% share of the segment, marking a 14.4% increase over the previous year. The Toyota HiLux, while trailing for the month, sold 3,545 units in the 4x4 segment, maintaining a 22.0% market share. YTD sales for the HiLux 4x4 stand at 36,501 units, which translates to a 23.2% share, showing a modest 4.7% growth compared to last year.

Other notable performers in the Ute market included the Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton, which have continued to gain traction. The Isuzu D-Max sold 504 units in the 4x2 category in September, representing a 22.9% market share, and YTD sales reached 5,000 units, holding 24.6% of the segment.

The D-Max also saw 2,108 units sold in the 4x4 category for September, making up 13.1% of that segment’s market share, with a YTD total of 18,349 units and an 11.7% share. The Mitsubishi Triton showed growth, particularly in the 4x4 segment, with 1,190 units sold in September, marking a significant 48.9% increase over last year. YTD sales of the Triton 4x4 reached 10,847 units, contributing to a 6.9% market share.

Mazda’s BT-50 posted solid numbers as well, with 256 units sold in the 4x2 category and 1,009 units in the 4x4 segment for September. YTD, the BT-50 has accumulated 2,384 sales in the 4x2 market and 9,230 in the 4x4 market, holding 11.7% and 5.9% shares, respectively. The Nissan Navara also maintained a steady market presence, with 64 units sold in the 4x2 segment and 739 units in the 4x4 segment for September. The Navara’s 4x4 YTD sales stand at 7,126 units, capturing a 4.5% share of that segment.

Among the emerging players, GWM’s Ute models had mixed results. The GWM Ute 4x2 sold 21 units in September, accounting for just 1.0% of the segment, while the GWM Ute 4x4 saw an improvement with 696 units sold. The GWM Cannon Alpha also contributed to GWM’s overall 4x4 market share.

The Ssangyong Musso, LDV T60, and Jeep Gladiator also made notable contributions to Ute sales in September.

The Ssangyong Musso recorded 251 units for the month, representing a 1.6% share of the 4x4 market. Year-to-date, it has sold 2,668 units, holding a 1.7% market share. The LDV T60, which encompasses both the T60 and T60 MAX variants, sold 407 units in the 4x4 category for September, although this is a significant drop compared to the previous year. Its YTD sales stand at 4,831 units, securing a 3.1% share.

The Jeep Gladiator, a niche contender in the segment, saw 87 units sold in September, contributing to its YTD total of 344 units, holding a small but steady 0.2% of the 4x4 market share. These brands continue to maintain a presence in the highly competitive Ute market, albeit on a smaller scale compared to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.

The total light commercial Ute market experienced a 9.4% decrease in sales compared to September 2023, with YTD sales reaching 157,146 units, marking a 7.1% increase over the previous year. Despite fluctuations in sales, the overall Ute market remains highly competitive, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux continuing their battle for dominance in Australia’s Ute segment.