How a Chinese brand became Australia’s #2 — BYD, Chery, GWM and the new top 10
by ADME Newsroom, Automotive market wrap
In 2020, Chinese-built vehicles were about 2.7% of the Australian new-car market. By May 2026 they were a record ~34.8% — and one of those brands, BYD, has finished second on the national chart in both April and May 2026, behind only Toyota.
This isn’t a one-month spike. It’s the fastest reordering of the Australian car market in living memory, and it has happened in roughly three years.
The numbers behind the surge
- BYD delivered 8,211 vehicles in May 2026 (up 154.6% YoY), ahead of Ford, Hyundai and Kia. Year-to-date it reached 33,454 units (+120.1%). Back in January, BYD outsold Tesla in Australia roughly 10-to-1 (5,001 vs 501) as quarterly delivery cycles swung.
- Four Chinese brands cracked the top 10 simultaneously for the first time in August 2025 — BYD, GWM, MG and Chery — with Chinese-built cars taking nearly 20% of that month.
- Chery has been the fastest-growing brand, up around 230% across 2025, led by the budget Tiggo 4.
- GWM has cemented a top-10 spot on the back of the Haval Jolion and a fast-growing ute range.
- Newer entrants are scaling quickly: Geely’s EX5 hit 1,202 sales in April 2026 (the month’s second-best-selling EV), Zeekr’s 7X is nearing 1,000 sales a month, and XPeng has set up a direct, factory-backed Australian operation.
The price story is the engine room. The BYD Dolphin launched as Australia’s first sub-$30,000 EV, and the BYD Atto 1 became the country’s best-selling light car — a category most legacy brands had quietly abandoned.
Why it’s not slowing down
Two structural forces are pulling in the same direction. The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard is pushing every brand to sell lower-emission cars, and Chinese makers arrived with affordable EVs and PHEVs already in the catalogue. When the policy rewards exactly the cars you already build cheaply, you take share.
What it means for dealers
The brands on your forecourt — and the brands your customers are cross-shopping — look different than they did at your last franchise review. A buyer comparing a mid-size SUV is now weighing a Toyota against a BYD, a GWM and a Chery on the same shortlist, often on the same afternoon. Whether you sell those brands or compete with them, your digital presence has to win that comparison. That means your model pages, pricing and value messaging need to hold up against a challenger that leads with a sharp drive-away number and a long warranty.
Figures: VFACTS via CarsGuide, The Driven and Electrek.