Australia’s heavy-duty truck market is holding firm as 2025 draws to a close, with November results confirming that – despite softer conditions – this year is still on track to become the third-highest sales year recorded.
According to the latest figures from the Truck Industry Council (TIC), 3810 heavy vehicles were delivered in November, down 11.9 per cent on the same month last year but consistent with the steady, predictable pattern seen across the year.
Year-to-date (YTD) sales are tracking 12 per cent behind the record-setting highs of 2022, 2023 and 2024, yet even at this moderated pace, the market remains exceptionally strong by historic standards, said TIC CEO Tony McMullan.
McMullan said the market remains on track for around 45,000 new truck and van sales in 2025. Sales over 44,379 would result in 2025 being the third best ever sales result for the heavy vehicle market in Australia. The 51,277 recorded last year holds the top honour followed by 47,757 in 2023.
“There have been multiple factors that have worked against sales in 2025, the most influential is no doubt the general economic conditions across most business sectors in Australia, that have remained weak throughout the year,” McMullan said.
“Another contributing factor is the Australian Design Rule [ADR] change from ADR80/03 (Euro 5) to ADR80/04 (Euro 6), that happened in quarter four this year. A number of truck manufacturers have struggled with supply chain issues in recent months as a result of this ADR change. This has affected the supply of some truck models.”
TIC said the heavy-duty sector continues to experience the greatest year-on-year slowdown of all of the four heavy vehicle sectors, having been hit the hardest by slowing sales all year long.
November, however, was a better month for the heavies with 1243 trucks delivered, down 144 trucks over the 1387 trucks sold in November 2024.
That was a 10.4 per cent reduction for the month. Overall the heavy segment trails last year’s results by a greater amount, 18.4 per cent. In vehicle numbers that is 2,739 less heavies sold, than to the end of November in 2024.
Kenworth cemented its usual spot at the top with 301 deliveries in November, or 24.2 per cent of the monthly market.
Second-placed Volvo was next best with 198 units, followed by the dominant overall seller Isuzu on 172. Only 91 units separate the pair now in the race to the end-of-year line.
Kenworth now has a 23,9 per cent market share YTD, up from 21.7 per cent at the same time in 2024.
Others to increase their market share in 2025 are Isuzu (15.6), Hino (4.9) and DAF (4.1).
The medium-duty truck segment has been the second hardest hit sector in 2025 and this trend continued at pace in November, reported TIC.
Only 464 medium trucks were delivered for the month, a notable decline of 34 per cent (-239 trucks) over November 2024 sales.
Year-to-date the sector is performing better, with sales lagging behind those of the same period last year by 16.2 per cent (-1,199 trucks). This is primarily due to poor sales in quarters three and four this year, TIC added.
The lights was the only sector in positive territory in November, with sales up slightly when compared with November 2024 and remains the least effected by the sales downturn of all the heavy vehicle segments this year.
A total of 1263 light-duty trucks were sold for the month, eight more little trucks than for the same month last year. That was a 0.6 per cent improvement over the 2024 November result.
Year-to-date the segment is down 6.5 per cent at the end of November. In terms of sales numbers, that was 13,395 LD truck sales in 2024 to the end of November, compared with 12,529 sales so far in 2025, a deficit of 866 trucks.