Diesel sales slump but Toyota says the bush can't do without it
Why it matters: diesel's market-share slide is real and accelerating, but Toyota's own data shows regional and rural fleets, the core customers Australian diesel workshops service, aren't following the cities toward EVs any time soon.
VFACTS data to the end of September shows diesel's new-vehicle market share has dropped from about 33 per cent in 2025 to 24.3 per cent this year, with diesel sales down 25.5 per cent year-on-year as hybrid, EV and plug-in hybrid uptake surges. Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux sales have each fallen around 10 per cent. But Toyota Australia sales VP John Pappas says diesel remains critical because nearly 54 per cent of combined HiLux and LandCruiser buyers live and work outside major cities, where towing, off-road capability and long-distance range don't suit battery EVs yet. Toyota's hedging its bets regardless: a battery-electric HiLux launched in May 2026, with a hydrogen fuel-cell HiLux planned for 2028.
Source: CarExpert (Damion Smy), 8 October 2026.