Average New Car Price in Australia 2026 (by Brand & Type)

Updated: 30 September 2026

If you are searching for the average new car price in Australia in 2026, the most important thing to understand is that there is no current official national dataset showing the actual average transaction price paid for every new vehicle sold.

A widely quoted figure of $37,362 comes from an Australian owner survey conducted in September 2023. It is real historical data, but presenting it as Australia's average new car price in 2026 would be misleading because the market has changed substantially since then.

SUVs now dominate Australian sales, electric vehicles are taking a larger share of the market, newer brands are competing aggressively on price, and many established models have moved to new generations or changed their pricing.

For today's buyer, a much more useful question is:

How much do the type of vehicle and models I am actually considering cost in 2026?

You can browse current new cars in Australia to compare current models, variants and specifications before obtaining a location specific drive away quote.

2026 fact check: Prices and market data in this guide were rechecked on 30 September 2026. Australia's latest available national monthly new vehicle sales data is for August 2026. Regular manufacturer or list pricing is kept separate from temporary drive away campaigns throughout this guide.

Why different “average new car price” figures disagree

One reason this topic becomes confusing is that several different statistics are regularly described online as Australia's “average car price”, even though they measure different things.

An owner survey measures what respondents say they spent. Finance data measures how much borrowers financed rather than the full purchase price. A model based estimate may combine sales volumes with published vehicle prices without knowing the final negotiated transaction price.

These numbers are not necessarily wrong. They simply answer different questions, which is why they should not be presented as interchangeable measures of the average price Australians are paying for a new car in 2026.

That distinction is the basis for this guide. Rather than inventing a national average, we compare current vehicle prices using clearly identified pricing bases.

Why we no longer quote a $45,000 to $55,000 “average”

A previous version of this guide used roughly $45,000 to $55,000 drive away as a broad indication of what Australians might spend on a mainstream new vehicle.

That is still a useful shopping band for many family cars, SUVs, hybrids and EVs, but it should not be described as a measured Australian average.

Consider how wide the current 2026 market is:

At one end of the market, a new city car can still begin below $20,000 before on road costs. At the other end, large SUVs, serious 4WDs, high performance vehicles and luxury models can comfortably exceed $100,000.

This is why a budget of around $40,000 to $60,000 is better described as an important mainstream shopping band rather than Australia's official average new car price.

Current drive away promotions can change the real purchase price

Regular list pricing is the cleanest way to compare models consistently, but manufacturers frequently run temporary drive away campaigns that can materially change what a buyer actually pays.

Those offers should always be shown separately rather than replacing the permanent price in an evergreen comparison.

The Atto 1 Essential's $19,990 figure is a limited retail drive away campaign rather than its permanent manufacturer price. Buyers ordering under that campaign also need to meet the applicable ordering, delivery and eligibility conditions.

For a deeper comparison between BYD's two affordable EVs, see our BYD Atto 1 vs Atto 2 Australia guide.

Mazda's current CX 3 and CX 5 drive away campaigns provide another useful example of why $30,670 before on road costs and $30,990 drive away are different types of prices, even though the two figures appear very close.

Australia's new car market in 2026

Australia recorded 108,760 new vehicle sales in August 2026, an increase of 4.9 per cent compared with August 2025. Year to date sales reached 848,920 vehicles, up 2.0 per cent.

SUVs continued to dominate the market, accounting for 65 per cent of year to date sales. That matters when thinking about car prices because Australians are increasingly buying larger vehicles rather than the basic small passenger cars that once accounted for a larger share of the market.

Electric vehicles have also become significantly more important. More than 27,000 battery electric vehicles were sold during August, while BEVs represented 18 per cent of the Australian market year to date.

The Australian new car market therefore now spans budget petrol hatchbacks, hybrids, electric SUVs, dual cab utes, large family SUVs and premium vehicles in considerable volume.

Australia's biggest new car brands in 2026

Toyota remains Australia's highest volume new car brand, followed by BYD. Kia, Ford, Mazda and Hyundai also remain major participants, while GWM, Chery, MG and Geely have become increasingly important.

This changing competitive landscape matters for pricing because buyers now have considerably more choice at similar budgets than they did only a few years ago.

Rather than attempting to invent an “average Toyota price” or “average BYD price”, it is more useful to examine what real models currently cost within each brand.

Toyota new car prices in 2026

Toyota covers an enormous price range in Australia, from relatively affordable hybrid passenger cars and compact SUVs through to utes, large 4WDs, sports cars and the full size Tundra.

At the lower end, the Toyota Yaris is one of Toyota's most affordable passenger cars. The Toyota Yaris Cross provides compact SUV packaging, while the Toyota Corolla Cross moves further into family SUV territory.

Current examples include:

The latest Toyota RAV4 is particularly important because the new generation starts at $45,990 for the GX 2WD Hybrid and now includes plug in hybrid variants further up the range.

Toyota's range extends far beyond these examples, which is precisely why one average Toyota price would provide relatively little practical help to a buyer.

BYD new car prices in 2026

BYD's Australian range has expanded rapidly across electric hatchbacks, sedans, electric SUVs, plug in hybrid SUVs, utes and people movers.

The biggest development at the lower end is the Atto 1. Its regular entry price is already low for an EV, while the current $19,990 drive away promotion temporarily pushes the effective entry point considerably lower.

At the opposite end of BYD's mainstream EV range, the BYD Sealion 7 currently spans $54,990 for the Premium to $63,990 for the Performance before on road costs.

That illustrates how broad BYD's price spread has become. It now competes with inexpensive city cars at one end while challenging established medium SUV and performance EV products at the other.

The BYD Shark 6 Premium also gives the brand a presence in Australia's highly valuable electrified ute market.

When comparing BYD prices, always check whether the figure is a permanent manufacturer price, drive away campaign, finance promotion, novated lease offer or another temporary incentive.

Kia new car prices in 2026

Kia covers one of the widest price ranges among Australia's mainstream manufacturers, beginning with the compact Picanto and extending through family SUVs, hybrids, people movers, EVs and the Tasman ute.

The Picanto Sport manual remains one of Australia's least expensive conventional new cars at $19,190 before on road costs, while the automatic version sits above it.

Further up the range, the Kia Sportage S is an important entry point into the medium SUV class, and the Kia Tasman has added a new ute line to Kia's Australian portfolio.

Kia's range then climbs through higher SUV grades, electric vehicles, Carnival people movers and better equipped Tasman variants.

The spread again demonstrates why comparing the specific vehicle segment is much more useful than trying to calculate one average Kia sticker price.

Ford new car prices in 2026

Ford's Australian range is more heavily weighted towards utes, SUVs and commercial vehicles than many mainstream brands.

The Ford Ranger remains central to that line up. The 4x2 XL single cab chassis starts from $37,130 before on road costs, while 4x4, dual cab, V6 and high grade configurations move dramatically higher.

This is a good example of why model names alone can be misleading when discussing price. A Ranger single cab chassis is a very different proposition from a Ranger Wildtrak, Platinum or Raptor even though all sit under the same model family.

Ford also offers the Ford Everest for buyers wanting a Ranger based SUV with family seating and substantial towing capability.

With Ranger, Everest, Mustang, Ranger Super Duty and Transit products making up much of the Australian line up, Ford's sales mix naturally sits in more expensive segments than brands heavily dependent on small passenger cars.

Mazda new car prices in 2026

Mazda remains strongly focused on passenger cars and SUVs.

The Mazda CX 3 occupies the compact SUV end of its range, while the Mazda CX 5 remains one of Mazda's major medium SUV products.

The Mazda 2 also continues to provide a smaller passenger car alternative.

This is an excellent real world example of why price labels matter.

The $39,990 CX 5 figure excludes normal on road charges, whereas the $43,990 promotional drive away figure includes the applicable costs under Mazda's campaign conditions.

Hyundai new car prices in 2026

Hyundai's range extends from compact petrol SUVs through hybrids, EVs, medium and large family SUVs, performance models and commercial vehicles.

The Venue remains the smallest SUV in the range. The current manual entry version starts at $23,750 before on road costs, while the automatic starts higher.

The Hyundai Tucson occupies the heavily contested medium SUV market and is available with both petrol and hybrid power depending on grade.

Hyundai also competes much further up the market through vehicles including the Santa Fe, Palisade, IONIQ range and performance focused N models.

Like other manufacturers, Hyundai periodically uses drive away campaigns and incentives, so permanent list pricing and promotional offers should always be separated when comparing brands.

Competition from newer brands is changing what buyers can get for their money

One of the biggest changes in Australia's new car market has been the growth of newer and fast expanding brands offering SUVs, hybrids and EVs at prices directly comparable with long established manufacturers.

For shoppers looking around the lower end of the SUV market, the GWM Haval Jolion currently spans petrol and hybrid options, while the Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid provides another lower priced self charging hybrid alternative.

Electric SUV shoppers can now compare established manufacturers with models such as the Geely EX5, which currently sits around the low to mid $40,000 range, before moving to larger options such as the BYD Sealion 7.

This does not mean every newer brand vehicle is automatically cheaper than every established rival. What has changed is the number of credible alternatives available at almost every mainstream price point.

That additional competition is putting more pressure on standard equipment, warranties, EV range and promotional pricing across the market.

New car prices by vehicle type

Instead of pretending there is a precise national average for every body style, these examples show the broad price points Australians encounter when shopping.

These are examples rather than claimed averages for each vehicle type.

Powertrain, equipment, drivetrain, body style and temporary manufacturer campaigns can move the final number significantly.

Australia's best selling cars also span very different prices

Australia's highest volume vehicles through August included the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Tesla Model Y, Toyota RAV4 and Chery Tiggo 4 family.

That group alone covers work utes, family hybrids, battery electric SUVs and inexpensive compact SUVs.

You can compare the Ford Ranger and Toyota RAV4 directly through their current model pages.

For EV buyers, current coverage also includes the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, while value focused SUV shoppers can inspect the Chery Tiggo 4 Urban.

The fact that these very different products sit near the top of the sales charts is another reason one national price average gives an incomplete picture of the Australian market.

What is changing Australian new car prices in 2026?

SUVs still dominate

SUVs represented 65 per cent of year to date Australian new vehicle sales through August 2026.

That shift matters because SUVs generally occupy higher price points than the basic hatchbacks and small passenger cars that once made up a much larger share of Australian sales.

This does not prove that Australia's average transaction price is a specific number, but it does show that the mix of vehicles being purchased has moved towards larger and often more expensive segments.

Electric cars are becoming mainstream

Battery electric vehicles represented 18 per cent of Australian new vehicle sales year to date through August, with more than 27,000 BEVs sold during that month alone.

At the same time, entry EV pricing has moved sharply downwards.

A few years ago, an electric car below $30,000 would have seemed unlikely. In 2026, the Atto 1 is below that threshold even at regular pricing, while a limited drive away promotion has taken the entry point temporarily below $20,000.

That means growing EV sales do not automatically push the overall market towards higher prices.

More brands are competing at mainstream prices

BYD is now Australia's second highest volume brand, while GWM, Chery, MG, Geely and other manufacturers are placing increasing pressure on established brands.

The result is more competition around equipment, warranties, hybrid technology, electric range and promotional pricing.

For consumers, this means a $30,000, $40,000 or $50,000 budget now opens more options than it did only a few years ago.

The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard operates at manufacturer level

Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard applies emissions targets across a supplier's covered new vehicle fleet.

It should not be described as a direct emissions fine automatically added to the invoice of an individual customer buying a particular ute or SUV.

Manufacturers can balance higher and lower emission vehicles and use credits and debits under the scheme.

For buyers, the important point is that NVES influences manufacturer product planning and efficiency targets rather than functioning as an individual buyer tax.

List price is not the same as drive away price

One of the easiest ways to make a misleading car price comparison is to put a manufacturer list price beside a drive away promotion without explaining the difference.

A before on road cost price can exclude items including registration, compulsory injury insurance, vehicle duty and dealer related charges.

On road costs can vary according to:

• state or territory;

• vehicle value;

• vehicle classification;

• registration period;

• compulsory injury insurance;

• motor vehicle duty;

• powertrain or emissions category in some jurisdictions;

• dealer delivery; and

• the individual buyer's circumstances.

There is therefore no reliable national rule saying you can simply add $3,000 to $6,000 to every new car's list price.

For a deeper explanation, read our Australian on road costs and drive away pricing guide.

The safest comparison is always drive away price against drive away price, or before on road price against before on road price.

Get the final drive away quotation for your own postcode in writing before making a purchase decision.

What does owning a new car cost after purchase?

Purchase price is only one part of the cost of having a car.

Australia's latest Q2 2026 household transport modelling puts average weekly transport expenditure at $479.45 for the benchmark capital city household and $437.68 for the benchmark regional household.

These figures should not be described as the average weekly running cost of one car. The model represents a hypothetical household and includes costs such as finance, insurance, registration, servicing, fuel, public transport, tolls and roadside assistance.

That distinction matters because a household transport budget and a single vehicle's ownership cost are not the same statistic.

For a model by model look at fuel, electricity and other ownership expenses, see our Cheapest Cars to Run in Australia guide.

New or used: which gives you more for your budget?

A $40,000 budget can buy very different vehicles depending on whether you shop new, near new or used.

Buying new provides the latest model specification, full new car warranty, known ownership history and access to current manufacturer campaigns.

Buying used or near new can provide a larger vehicle or higher specification for the same initial budget, but condition, remaining warranty, service history and previous ownership become more important.

The right answer depends on the total cost rather than the advertised sticker price alone.

How much should you budget for a new car in 2026?

Instead of targeting an uncertain national average, start with the vehicle category your household actually needs.

Below $30,000

This part of the market remains relatively limited but is becoming more competitive again.

Buyers can find city cars, compact hatchbacks, selected light SUVs and promotional EV deals.

You can see current options through the New Cars Under $30,000 page.

Temporary campaigns can make a major difference here, so make sure the offer will still be available when you take delivery.

$30,000 to $40,000

This budget opens substantially more choice.

Small SUVs become plentiful, some medium SUVs begin to appear, and there are passenger cars, hybrids, entry utes and increasingly capable electrified vehicles.

Models such as the Toyota Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross and entry Kia Sportage sit around this broad part of the market depending on variant.

$40,000 to $60,000

This is one of Australia's busiest new car shopping bands.

It includes medium SUVs, family hybrids, dual cab utes, many electric vehicles, entry large SUVs and well equipped smaller cars.

The Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX 5, Geely EX5, Ford Ranger and Ford Everest demonstrate how widely vehicle type and capability can vary despite overlapping price brackets.

A buyer spending $50,000 could therefore be comparing a hybrid family SUV, an EV, a work ute or a higher grade compact vehicle.

Above $60,000

Above $60,000, buyers move increasingly into higher grade mainstream SUVs, larger EVs, serious four wheel drives, premium utes, performance vehicles and prestige brands.

Many mainstream nameplates also extend well beyond $60,000 once larger engines, AWD, luxury equipment or performance variants are selected.

Again, these brackets are shopping bands rather than statistical averages.

Practical tips when comparing new car prices

The first rule is to compare the same pricing basis.

Before deciding that one car is cheaper than another, check whether the number you are looking at is:

• manufacturer recommended or list price;

• before on road costs;

• national drive away price;

• postcode specific drive away price;

• dealer advertised price;

• demonstrator price;

• temporary manufacturer campaign;

• cashback offer; or

• dependent on finance or another eligibility condition.

Then make sure you are comparing the same model year, generation, variant, drivetrain, engine or electric powertrain, body style and included options.

This is particularly important for vehicles such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, where changing from a single cab chassis to a dual cab 4x4 can add tens of thousands of dollars without changing the main model name.

The final number that matters is what you need to pay to put the exact vehicle you want on the road.

So what is the average new car price in Australia in 2026?

There is still no sufficiently current authoritative national transaction dataset that lets us responsibly say:

“The average new car in Australia costs exactly $X in 2026.”

The commonly quoted $37,362 figure comes from a 2023 owner survey. Current finance data produces a different number because it measures loan amounts, while model based estimates produce much higher figures because they use different methodologies.

What we can say confidently is that Australia's 2026 new car market has an exceptionally wide price spread.

A new Kia Picanto Sport manual starts below $20,000 before on road costs, and BYD is temporarily advertising an Atto 1 Essential at $19,990 drive away. At the opposite end, large SUVs, serious four wheel drives, luxury EVs and performance vehicles can cost well above $100,000.

For most buyers, the useful question is therefore not “What is the national average?”

It is:

What does a good vehicle in the category I actually need cost, and what is the final drive away price for my postcode?

Start with your budget and vehicle type, compare current models using the same pricing basis, and obtain a written drive away quotation before committing.