Australia’s truck market continues to ease from the record-setting pace seen a year ago, with April 2026 sales figures revealing softer overall volumes but continued fierce competition across the heavy-duty segment.
The latest T-Mark industry data from the Truck Industry Council shows total truck sales across all categories reached 2871 units in April 2026, down from 3416 units recorded in April 2025, a decline of 15.9 per cent.
Despite the broader slowdown, Isuzu again finished comfortably on top of the national sales charts.
Isuzu delivered 709 trucks during April 2026 to claim a 24.7 per cent market share, however that figure was significantly lower than the 992 sales and 29 per cent share it achieved in April last year – a drop of 28.5 per cent.
The result highlights the changing conditions facing the market as operators grapple with rising fuel prices, higher financing costs and broader economic uncertainty.
Hino held onto second position overall with 335 sales in April 2026, almost identical to its 340 sales recorded in April 2025 — a modest decline of 1.5 per cent.
Fuso also posted a relatively stable result, lifting slightly from 242 sales last April to 256 this year, an increase of 5.8 per cent.
One of the biggest year-on-year declines came from Kenworth, despite being the only heavy-duty OEM to notch more than 200 sales last month.
The heavy-duty specialist recorded 208 sales in April, down from 271 during the same month in 2025, a decline of 23.2 per cent.
Its year-to-date market share is now 20.6 per cent, down from 23.1 at the same time in 2025.
Volvo followed with 167 heavy-duty deliveries in April, narrowly ahead of Isuzu on 158.
Scania continued building momentum in the heavy sector, recording 95 overall sales during April and maintaining a strong presence among premium European brands.
DAF continues to be one of the biggest success stories amongst the heavies, again recording a lift on its year-on-year numbers with 54 sets of keys handed over in April.
The Bayswater badge now has a market share of 5.7 so far this year, up from 3.1 per cent at the same time in 2025.
The medium-duty category remained firmly dominated by Isuzu.
The Japanese manufacturer delivered 189 medium-duty trucks in April 2026, giving it more than half the market with a 52.5 per cent share.
Fuso finished second in medium duty with 68 sales, ahead of Hino on 47.
In light-duty, Isuzu also remained the clear market leader with 362 sales, while Hino recorded 226 and Fuso finished with 135.
The figures underline the continued strength of Japanese brands across urban freight, local distribution and trade-focused applications.
Year-to-date results also show the market running behind 2025 levels.
Isuzu’s year-to-date tally sits at 2701 units compared with 3893 units at the same point last year, a decline of 30.6 per cent. Its overall year-to-date market share has also dropped from 28.3 per cent in 2025 to 22.5 at the end of last month.
Kenworth’s year-to-date total has dropped from 1037 to 828 — down 20.2 per cent — while Volvo has eased from 760 to 701, a decline of 7.8 per cent.
Hino and Fuso, however, have remained comparatively steady.
Industry insiders say the softer market conditions are not unexpected following several years of exceptionally strong post-pandemic demand.
Many fleets aggressively replaced and expanded equipment during 2023 and 2024 amid strong freight volumes and supply chain concerns.
Now, with freight rates under pressure and operating costs continuing to rise, purchasing activity has become more measured.
Even so, April’s figures suggest demand for new trucks remains relatively resilient by historical standards.
Replacement cycles, ongoing infrastructure work and continued freight demand are still supporting significant activity across much of the industry, insiders said.