Australian Market Data Released: Kenworth Retains Top‑Selling Position in Heavy‑Duty Trucks

Australia’s commercial‑vehicle market staged a welcome rebound in September. According to the latest T‑Mark data from the Truck Industry Council (TIC), new‑vehicle deliveries topped 3,000 units for the month at 3,362, representing a 12.5% rise from August’s 2,989 units. Even so, the September figure was still 13.3% below the 3,878 units recorded in September 2025.

September closed out a sluggish third quarter. Between July and September, the industry delivered 9,707 heavy‑duty vehicles in total, a year‑on‑year drop of 14.8%. Year‑to‑date, the market has remained on a downward trajectory. Cumulative sales for the first nine months of 2026 stood at 29,233 units, down 13.3% compared with 33,727 units in the same period of 2025, equating to 4,494 fewer deliveries.

Commenting on Q3 performance, TIC Chief Executive Tony McMullen noted that cost‑of‑living pressures continue to weigh on consumer spending and freight activity, while high diesel prices and interest‑rate headwinds constrain capital investment by operators. “Australia’s new‑truck market was already in decline through much of 2025, and that trend has carried over into 2026,” said McMullen. “The Truck Industry Council does not expect these pressures to ease materially for the remainder of 2026, yet we remain optimistic for a strong recovery in new‑truck sales in 2027.”

In the overall manufacturer rankings for September, Isuzu once again claimed first place with combined heavy‑, medium‑ and light‑truck deliveries of 863 units. When light‑commercial vehicles are included, Mercedes‑Benz came second with total sales of 295 units.

Heavy‑duty trucks remained the most resilient segment within the truck market. September 2026 heavy‑truck sales hit 1,124 units, up 6.0% from August’s 1,060 units. On a year‑on‑year basis, deliveries fell 7.9% (97 fewer units) versus September 2025’s 1,221 units. For the third quarter as a whole, however, the segment posted only a modest 4.2% year‑on‑year decline (137 fewer units). Year‑to‑date, heavy‑truck volumes reached 9,733 units, down 7.9% (830 fewer units) from the first nine months of 2025 — evidence that fleet renewal among key freight and long‑haul transport operators remains relatively solid.