Toyota says diesel remains vital for rural Australia
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 02:24 · Archive
Diesel sales have fallen 25.5 per cent year-on-year, but Toyota says the fuel remains essential for regional buyers.
Toyota Australia maintains that diesel-powered vehicles remain a key part of its local lineup, particularly for buyers in rural and regional areas, despite a marked shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles.
Diesel sales have declined significantly, falling 25.5 per cent year-on-year to the end of September 2026. The fuel's market share has contracted from around 33 per cent in 2025 to 24.3 per cent in 2026, driven partly by record pump prices for both diesel and petrol. In contrast, conventional hybrid sales have increased by 11.4 per cent, whilst EV sales surged 117.7 per cent year-on-year in September alone, with plug-in hybrid sales rising 122.7 per cent.
The shift is evident in the sales charts. The Ford Ranger remains the market leader, though sales fell 10.0 per cent to 37,858 units by the end of September, down from 42,050 the previous year. Toyota HiLux sales also declined 10.3 per cent to 36,616 units. The Tesla Model Y electric SUV and Toyota RAV4 hybrid SUV have interrupted the dominance of these traditionally diesel-powered vehicles. Toyota's bZ4X EV achieved 410 sales in September, placing it 16th in year-to-date EV rankings.
How it is being reported
- Diesel critical to regional Australia, says ToyotaToyota Australia says diesel-powered vehicles remain a key part of its local lineup, especially for buyers in rural areas.The West Australian · 9 Oct, 01:53
- Diesel critical to regional Australia, says ToyotaToyota Australia says diesel-powered vehicles remain a key part of its local lineup, especially for buyers in rural areas.Perth Now · 9 Oct, 01:53
In this story: Toyota Australia · Ford Ranger · Toyota HiLux · Tesla Model Y · Toyota RAV4 · Australia
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem
Comments (0)