The electric car has taken the passenger car crown in Australia. On sales to the end of October the Tesla Model Y has moved 39,035 units for 2026, ahead of the Toyota RAV4 on 35,927, making it the first fully electric model to finish a year as the nation's favourite passenger car. The HiLux and Ranger utes still sell more overall, but they count as light commercials, so among passenger cars the Model Y is now the one to beat.
How the Model Y got here
The Model Y became the first electric car to win a single sales month back in May, then posted 8,072 deliveries in June, the biggest month for any single model since the Holden Commodore in the early 2000s. The six-seat Model Y L that landed in March widened its appeal, outselling the standard car in July and August. The RAV4, down heavily early in the year as Toyota changed generations, has clawed back ground but not enough to retake the lead.
Cartell Assessment
This is a genuine milestone, not a quirk of one month. A single electric model outselling the RAV4 across a full year says the mainstream buyer has made peace with the Model Y, helped by sharp drive-away pricing and the six-seat option. With about one in four new cars sold this year electric or plug-in, the Model Y is riding a much bigger wave.
AU Outlook
Two months remain, and Toyota will not want to cede the passenger car title to a Tesla, so expect RAV4 stock and deals to be pushed hard before December. Watch whether Tesla answers with another end-of-year price move to lock it in.
