Extract from ABC News
Rising fuel costs have had little impact on sales of big cars. (ABC South West WA: Jonathan Daly)
In short:
Sales of large utility vehicles have been minimally impacted by rising fuel costs in March and April.
Electric vehicles now make up 16 per cent of the total market share.
Overall, car sales are down in 2026 compared to the same time in the past two years.
Large utility vehicles have remained a popular choice for Australians despite increasing fuel prices through March and April, while the market share of electric vehicles has increased to 16 per cent.
Fuel prices reached a national average peak of 319 cents per litre for diesel and 224.5 cents per litre for petrol on the week ending April 12, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum.
Prices have since been trending downward, with the national average for diesel being 247.2 cents per litre and petrol 183.6 cents per litre on the week ending May 10.
According to data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), sales of 4X4 utes have decreased to 13,251 compared to 15,672 in April last year.
However, 4X2 sales have slightly increased to 1,775 in April this year from 1,719 in April last year.
Sales of $100,000+ utes increased from 803 in February to 930 in March before declining to 560 in April.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said the biggest investors in new cars right now were fleet-running businesses, including governments.
However, he said car sales across the board had been down over the past two months.
"I think that's just a reflection of consumer confidence, concern about the economy, concern about the global economy," Mr Khoury said.
"So as a percentage, all petrol and diesel cars have fallen, and so it's not a huge shock that those numbers have headed in that direction."
While the Ford Ranger, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota HiLux, three of 2025's best sellers, have remained popular with buyers, the general top 10 has started to change.
Hybrid car Haval Jolion and electric vehicle BYD Sealion 7 have jumped in popularity compared to the same time last year.
Large vehicle stronghold
Mr Khoury said for almost two decades, utes have had a stronghold in Australia.
"Because they're used by so many people, whether it's trades, builders, farming, you see strong sales for utes generally," he said.
"If you look at the breakdown of new cars and the type of car sold, the majority is still held overwhelmingly by SUVs and new larger vehicles."
Peter Khoury from the NRMA says utes are popular with many different types of Australians. (ABC News: John Gunn)
However, he said, electric vehicles are growing increasingly popular, making up about one in six new car sales in April.
"The fact that that coincides with the worst petrol prices that we've seen, certainly diesel prices on record, is telling," Mr Khoury said.
He said increasing variety and lowering prices were also drawing buyers towards hybrid and electric vehicles.
"Two months of an oil crisis and counting, no doubt was a contributing factor," he said.
"I think what that just did was that made it more attractive for Australians who were looking to buy a new car [to buy an EV].
"I don't think people went out and made that investment off the back of the oil crisis."
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