It’s a simple fact: Australians love Asian cars. How do we know? Sales. Nine of the top ten selling manufacturers in Australia in 2025 were either Japanese, Korean or Chinese. Only Ford managed to break into the top ten from anywhere else in the world.
This pattern repeats when you look at best-selling new cars. Of the top ten for last year, eight of those were Asian cars. Again, only Ford (with its Ranger and Everest models) disrupted this dominance.
You can break down sales in almost any way and an Asian brand will be top (or very close):
- Hybrids and PHEV: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (Japan)
- Small SUV: MG ZS (China)
- Medium SUV: Toyota RAV4 (Japan)
- Small cars: Toyota Corolla (Japan)
And Asian cars come second for utes and third for EVs.
With such huge popularity, if you’re looking to buy a car it makes sense to follow the wisdom of the crowd. Which leaves just one question: which Asian car brands are available in Australia?
Asian cars in Australia
As of the start of 2026, there are four countries commonly represented on Australian roads:
- China
- Japan
- Korea
- India
It is possible to import cars from other nations so long as they meet all the relevant regulations, but these are the ones that have officially entered the market here.
Chinese cars
It wasn’t too long ago that it was rare to spot a car from China in Australia, but they’re quickly becoming more prominent on our streets. We’ve adopted them in high numbers and we’re one of the top four global importers of cars from China.
There are currently eight Chinese car brands being sold in Australia:
- BYD
- Chery
- GWM
- Haval
- Jaecoo
- LDV
- MG
- Zeekr
It’s likely that you’ve been seeing more and more of these on your daily commute and that’s because they’re selling in huge numbers. In 2025, GWM was the best-selling brand while the Haval Jolion was the third best-selling SUV in the country the Haval H6GT was the fourth most popular PHEV.
Read more about Chinese cars in Australia here.
Japanese cars
There are currently nine Japanese car brands available in Australia:
- Honda
- Isuzu
- Lexus
- Mazda
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Subaru
- Suzuki
- Toyota
Japanese cars tend to sell very well in Australia. Toyota has been the best-selling brand here for the past 23 years, with the RAV4 and HiLux two of the most common vehicles on our roads.
Read more about Japanese cars in Australia here.
Korean cars
South Korea has an incredible reputation for its tech, with brands like LG and Samsung world-leaders in their industries. This strong option extends to its car industry too, with its brands and models held in high esteem. Kia, for example, was the fourth most popular car brand in Australia in 2025, followed by Hyundai in fifth.
There are currently four Korean car brands in Australia:
- Genesis
- Hyundai
- Kia
- KGM/SsangYong
Following a takeover, SsangYong was rebranded as KGM last year.
Read more about Korean cars in Australia here.
Indian cars
Unlike the other countries on this page, India only has one car brand available in Australia: Mahindra.
Like many of the Japanese car manufacturers, Mahindra began life in a different industry before pivoting to cars. The former steel trading company was founded in 1945 and began working with Jeep in 1954 before producing its own car in 1965. In 2007, Mahindra entered the Australian market and has local headquarters in Queensland.
There are currently three Mahindra models available in Australia:
- Scorpio (SUV)
- XUV3X0 (compact SUV)
- XUV700 (seven-seater SUV)
Last year we saw the last of the company’s ute, the Pik-Up, sold from Australian forecourts but no replcaement model has been announccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccced yet.
Mahindra has been fairly aggressive in its acquisition and investment strategy. Among its holdings have been a majority share in Korea’s SsangYong, a controlling stake in Peugeot Motorcycles and a whole host of companies that build farm equipment. So even though you don’t think you’re seeing many Indian cars in Australia, there’s often an influence in the background.
Buying your next car
Whether you want to buy a car from Asia or anywhere else in the world, Dealify can help. Our team of car finance experts help everyday Aussies to get a loan that helps them with their motoring dreams. Get in touch today by filling out this short form and a broker will be in touch.
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