The average new car in Australia costs roughly $45,000 to $55,000 drive-away in 2026. Buyers report spending around $37,000 on average (Canstar Blue), but that number is held down by small cars. Once you include the SUVs and utes that dominate sales, the typical amount driven out of a dealership sits in the high $40,000s to low $50,000s. What you actually pay swings hugely by brand and model, from about $20,000 for a city hatch to more than $150,000 for a full-size ute.
Below you will find the full 2026 lineup and starting price for every model from Australia's top 5 brands, with a link to each car so you can check live pricing and specs.
Prices are starting (from) prices before on-road costs. Add roughly $3,000 to $6,000 for drive-away. Browse all new cars for live pricing.
How much is the average new car in Australia in 2026?
There is no single official figure, so it helps to look at it three ways:
What buyers report spending: about $37,362 on average (Canstar Blue). Small cars average $26,454, sedans $36,075, and SUVs $39,857.
What the best sellers cost: Australia's favourites, the Ford Ranger, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota HiLux, mostly sell in the $45,000 to $75,000 drive-away band, which lifts the real average.
The direction: prices keep climbing as buyers choose larger, better equipped and electrified vehicles.
So a realistic drive-away budget for a mainstream new car in 2026 is $45,000 to $55,000, less if you buy small, more for a family SUV or 4x4 ute.
Average price by body type (2026)
Body type | Typical new price range (drive-away) | Popular examples |
|---|---|---|
City / light hatch | $20,000 to $28,000 | Kia Picanto, Toyota Yaris |
Small hatch / sedan | $28,000 to $40,000 | Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, Hyundai i30 |
Small SUV | $26,000 to $40,000 | Mazda CX-3, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona |
Mid-size SUV | $40,000 to $60,000 | Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson |
Large SUV / 7 seat | $55,000 to $100,000+ | Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90 |
Dual-cab 4x4 ute | $45,000 to $115,000+ | Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux |
Mainstream EV | $30,000 to $65,000 | Kia EV3, Hyundai Inster, Toyota bZ4X |
You can compare any two models side by side to see how your shortlist stacks up on price and spec.
What is driving new car prices in 2026
1. The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). Australia's emissions rules took effect on 1 January 2025, with penalties applying from 1 July 2025. From 2026, any passenger car emitting more than 117g CO2/km (and light commercials over 180g/km) can attract fines of $100 per excess gram, multiplied by units sold. This pushes efficient cars, hybrids and EVs cheaper, while thirsty large SUVs and utes face upward price pressure.
2. The Chinese brand price war. New entrants are undercutting the establishment. BYD sales grew about 156% in 2025, and GWM and MG are now firmly in the top 10 brands (VFACTS 2025). This is the main reason entry prices have held or fallen even as premium prices rise.
3. The shift to SUVs and utes. These now make up most sales, and because they cost more than the hatchbacks they replaced, they lift the market average every year.
The top 5 brands in Australia
Australia bought a record of more than 1.2 million new vehicles in 2025 (VFACTS). The best selling brands were Toyota (239,863), Ford (94,399), Mazda (about 91,300), Kia (82,105) and Hyundai (77,208). Here is every current model from each, with its starting price.
Prices are "from" prices before on-road costs. Models shown as "See listing" are priced on application (mostly new EVs and vans); click through for the latest figure.
Toyota new car prices in Australia 2026
Toyota is Australia's best selling brand, with the widest range of any mainstream marque, from the sub-$30k Yaris to the $155,990 Tundra. See the full Toyota range.
Model | Body type | Starting price (from) |
|---|---|---|
Hatch | $28,990 | |
Small SUV | $31,790 | |
Sedan | $32,585 | |
Hatch | $32,990 | |
Small SUV | $37,440 | |
Sedan | $39,990 | |
Mid SUV | $45,990 | |
Van | $48,990 | |
Small SUV | $51,209 | |
Ute | $53,990 | |
Large SUV | $60,890 | |
Performance | $67,990 | |
Performance | $67,990 | |
Performance | $67,990 | |
Large SUV / 4WD | $72,500 | |
4WD | $76,950 | |
Large SUV / 4WD | $97,200 | |
Full-size ute | $155,990 | |
Electric SUV | See listing |
The volume sellers, Corolla, RAV4 and HiLux, land between about $33,000 and $54,000 to start, which is why Toyota's typical transaction sits around $50,000 despite the cheaper Yaris and the six-figure LandCruiser 300 and Tundra at the top.
Ford new car prices in Australia 2026
Ford Australia has moved away from small cars entirely. Its range now starts at the Ranger and is built around utes, the Everest SUV, the Mustang, and Transit vans, which is why its entry price is the highest of the five brands. Browse the Ford range.
Model | Body type | Starting price (from) |
|---|---|---|
Ute | $51,400 | |
Van | $56,590 | |
Large SUV | $58,990 | |
Van | $60,990 | |
Ute (plug-in hybrid) | $71,990 | |
Coupe | $76,990 | |
Performance ute | $90,690 | |
Full-size ute | $114,950 | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric van | See listing |
With the Ranger the cheapest way into the brand at $51,400, Ford has the highest average price of the mainstream five, driven almost entirely by utes and large SUVs.
Mazda new car prices in Australia 2026
Mazda covers the most ground on value, from the $26,950 CX-3 to a growing family of large SUVs. Browse the Mazda range.
Model | Body type | Starting price (from) |
|---|---|---|
Small SUV | $26,950 | |
Hatch | $28,740 | |
Hatch | $32,780 | |
Small SUV | $34,360 | |
Mid SUV | $39,990 | |
Roadster | $42,640 | |
Large SUV | $55,000 | |
Mid / large SUV | $55,740 | |
Large SUV | $74,200 | |
Large SUV | $75,400 | |
Electric sedan | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing |
The CX-3, CX-30 and CX-5 do most of Mazda's volume in the high $20,000s to low $40,000s, keeping its typical price mid-market.
Kia new car prices in Australia 2026
Kia is the value leader of the big brands, home to the country's cheapest new car in this group, the Picanto at $20,790, plus a fast-growing EV range. See the Kia range, or read our guide to the cheapest new cars in Australia.
Model | Body type | Starting price (from) |
|---|---|---|
Hatch | $20,790 | |
Small SUV | $29,990 | |
Small SUV | $29,990 | |
Sedan | $30,490 | |
Mid SUV | $38,490 | |
Ute | $42,990 | |
People mover | $50,570 | |
Large SUV | $50,680 | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing |
With the Picanto near $20,000 and the new Tasman ute joining the range, Kia offers the widest spread of budget to family pricing.
Hyundai new car prices in Australia 2026
Hyundai spans the value Venue small SUV to large family seven-seaters, with one of the broadest EV ranges of any brand. Browse the Hyundai range.
Model | Body type | Starting price (from) |
|---|---|---|
Small SUV | $25,490 | |
Hatch / sedan | $29,850 | |
Small SUV | $32,950 | |
Mid SUV | $39,350 | |
Performance hatch | $41,797 | |
People mover | $49,900 | |
Large SUV | $55,500 | |
Large SUV | $75,900 | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric SUV | See listing | |
Electric sedan | See listing | |
Van | See listing |
The Venue, i30 and Kona keep Hyundai competitive with Kia at the value end, while the Palisade and Ioniq range stretch it to the premium and EV space.
Brand comparison: new car price ranges Australia 2026
Brand | Cheapest (from) | Dearest (from) | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
Kia | Picanto $20,790 | Sorento $50,680 | Value and warranty |
Hyundai | Venue $25,490 | Palisade $75,900 | Value and EVs |
Mazda | CX-3 $26,950 | CX-70 $75,400 | Style and SUVs |
Toyota | Yaris $28,990 | Tundra $155,990 | Range and resale |
Ford | Ranger $51,400 | F-150 $114,950 | Utes and SUVs |
Key takeaways:
Kia and Hyundai are the clear value leaders, with the only sub-$30,000 starting prices among the five.
Mazda sits mid-market thanks to a passenger-car and mid-size SUV core.
Toyota has the widest spread of any brand, from the Yaris to the Tundra.
Ford is the most expensive to get into, with a range built around utes, large SUVs and vans.
Beyond the sticker: what a new car really costs to run
Purchase price is only half the story. Based on the AAA Transport Affordability Index and Canstar Blue data, a typical household's ongoing car costs look like this:
Cost | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|
Car loan repayments | about $9,500 |
Fuel | about $4,900 |
Comprehensive insurance | about $1,780 |
Registration and CTP | $500 to $1,500 |
Servicing and tyres | about $1,850 |
Total (excluding depreciation) | about $18,000 to $22,000+ |
Two more costs to plan for:
Depreciation: a new car can lose 10 to 15% the moment you drive away, then 5 to 10% a year after. It is the biggest hidden cost of buying new.
Fuel type: hybrids and EVs can cut running costs sharply. See our guide to the cheapest cars to run, and check what you will pay to insure your pick in car insurance costs by state.
How much should you spend on a new car?
A common rule of thumb is to keep the total spend under about half your annual income, and to keep repayments comfortable within your monthly budget. Then:
Budget and first car buyers: start with Kia, Hyundai and Mazda. See the cheapest new cars in Australia.
Family SUV buyers: Toyota and Mazda balance price, space and strong resale.
Ute and heavy use buyers: Ford and Toyota lead, but budget for higher average costs and watch NVES pricing.
Value focused buyers: a near new used car can deliver the same model for thousands less after someone else absorbs the first year of depreciation.
Practical tips for buying in 2026
Set a drive-away ceiling, not an MSRP one. On-roads add $3,000 to $6,000.
Always get a drive-away quote and compare across dealers.
Factor in total cost of ownership: fuel, insurance, servicing and depreciation, not just the price tag.
Consider a hybrid or EV if you drive a lot. Lower running costs can offset a higher purchase price.
Watch new arrivals. 2026 brings more affordable EVs and SUVs, especially from Chinese brands.
Conclusion
In 2026 the average new car in Australia costs around $45,000 to $55,000 drive-away, but the real answer depends on the model. Among the top 5 brands, prices start as low as $20,790 for a Kia Picanto and climb past $150,000 for a Toyota Tundra. Kia and Hyundai lead on value, Mazda sits mid-market, Toyota offers the widest choice, and Ford is built around utes and large SUVs. Set a realistic drive-away budget, weigh running costs and depreciation, then browse new cars or compare your shortlist to find the right price.