Australians doubled-down on used car purchases in 2025, buying nearly twice as many secondhand as new vehicles.
A total of 2.32 million used vehicles changed hands last year, compared with 1.24 million newbies.
The number was down slightly from 2024, by 0.37 per cent, according to official figures from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association compiled in a collaboration with research company AutoGrab.
But prices generally softened as selling times also fell.
Details of the sales provide a broad reflection of the new-car scene, as SUVs continued to grow their share of the secondhand scene at the expense of traditional sedans and station wagon. Using tracking from de-listed vehicles from online marketplaces, the numbers show a 9.7 per cent boost in SUV sales to 996,000, compared with a 10.6 per cent fall in passenger car sales to 840,000.
Ute sales were almost static at just over 409,000.
Hybrid, battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles all increased their share of the used car market, although the EV improvement of 64.3 per cent comes off a low base. The total number of EVs listed was just 33,610 in 2025, compared with 1,422,518 petrol-powered vehicles.
The AADA claims close to half of the secondhand sales in 2025 were made through dealerships, as buyers went for the security of official channels with warranty back-up.
“Dealers are playing a more prominent role as consumers seek greater certainty around pricing, vehicle quality and after-sales support in a more balanced market environment,” said the CEO of the AADA, James Voortman.
“After several years of disruption, the used car market settled into a more sustainable operating environment in 2025, with conditions improving for both buyers and sellers and less extreme movement in prices and stock availability.”
The used-car figures are the heart of AADA’s annual Automotive Insights Report, which includes listings for the most-popular makes and models. They are also a close reflection of new-car rankings, although there are no Chinese brands – as yet – in the Top 10.
The listing of individual models shows a lag from new-car showrooms, despite the dominance of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux pick-ups, with the hugely popular new Toyota RAV4 hybrid failing to crack the top 10.
Top 10 secondhand brands 2025:
1. Toyota
2. Mazda
3. Ford
4. Hyundai
5. Mitsubishi
6. Nissan
7. Volkswagen
8. Holden
9. Kia
10. Subaru
Top 10 secondhand models 2025:
1. Ford Ranger
2. Toyota HiLux
3. Toyota Corolla
4. Hyundai i30
5. Mazda3
6. Mitsubishi Triton
7. Mazda CX-5
8. Nissan Navara
9. Toyota Camry
10. Volkswagen Golf