Van sales shine bright in October

The Australian commercial vehicle market suffered a slow start to the final quarter of 2026, with total deliveries stalling at 3215 new trucks and vans across October, according to the latest T-Mark data from the Truck Industry Council (TIC).

The result marks a 4.4 per cent month-on-month decline (-147 units) on September’s 3362 deliveries, missing the traditional spring delivery surge.

Compared to the same period last year, October deliveries tumbled by 18.0 per cent (-706 units) against the 3921 sales recorded in October 2025, representing the worst October sales result for the Australian market since 2020 during the height of COVID-19 uncertainty.

On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the market's double-digit contraction shows no signs of slowing. Total heavy vehicle deliveries across the first ten months of 2026 sit at 32,448 units, tracking 13.8 per cent lower (-5200 vehicles) than the 37,648 deliveries achieved by this point in 2025.

While monthly volumes remain comfortably ahead of the historic lows seen during the Global Financial Crisis – when October deliveries barely scraped past 2000 units in 2010 and 2011 – the absence of the usual pre-Christmas buying surge has sparked caution across the transport industry.

"October and November are traditionally strong months for truck sales, as companies gear their fleets up for the Christmas delivery rush," said TIC Chief Executive Officer Tony McMullan.

“Perhaps the flat October truck sales are an indicator that fleets are not forecasting the usual surge in freight movements leading into the festive season, as increasing interest rates and continuing high inflation dampen consumer spending."

At the top of the manufacturer leaderboards, Isuzu continues its dominance, delivering 796 trucks across the heavy-, medium-, and light-duty categories. Fuso mounted a strong monthly charge to snatch second place outright with 290 sales, edging out Hino (252).

But, when including light commercial vans, Mercedes-Benz secured second overall with 342 total deliveries. Meanwhile, Kenworth retained its crown at the summit of the heavy-duty ladder, holding off a fierce challenge from Volvo with just five sales separating the two brands.

Heavy-duty trucks

The heavy-duty segment recorded 1079 sales in October 2026, dipping 4.0 per cent month-on-month from September’s 1124 units, as prime movers demand continues amidst the broader softening.

Year-on-year, heavy-duty deliveries declined by 12.0 per cent (-147 trucks) compared to the 1226 units delivered in October 2025. Despite the softening, the heavy segment continues to track as the most resilient pillar of the truck market; year-to-date sales stand at 10,812 units, representing an 8.3 per cent contraction (-977 trucks) against the first 10 months of last year.

The battle at the top of the heavy-duty ladder delivered high drama, with Kenworth retaining first place with 215 deliveries, narrowly holding off Volvo (210) by a razor-thin five-truck margin. Scania delivered a standout performance to claim the final podium spot with 120 sales, knocking Isuzu (103) into fourth.

Hino locked in fifth place with 80 deliveries, maintaining a narrow lead over Mercedes-Benz (76). Meanwhile, UD Trucks and Mack registered identical results with 55 sales each, while Fuso (46) and DAF (45) completed the top ten.

Further down the board, Iveco logged 26 deliveries, followed by MAN (21), Freightliner (15), and Western Star (12). Dennis Eagle and Hyundai both recorded zero sales for the month.

Heavy-duty truck sales – October 2026:

Medium-duty trucks

The medium-duty segment slipped back below the 400-unit mark in October, recording 392 sales, which represents a sharp 14.2 per cent drop on September’s 457 units.

Year-on-year, the category fell 19.5 per cent (-95 trucks) compared to the 487 units recorded in October 2025. The year-to-date tally of 3994 units sits 30.7 per cent lower (-1769 trucks) than at the same point in 2025, underscoring the structural shift that continues to penalise mid-sized trucks.

Isuzu maintained its grip on the category with 245 deliveries, capturing a staggering 62.5 per cent share of the total medium-duty market for the month. Fuso locked down second place with 78 sales, while Hino trailed in a distant third with 19 deliveries.

Iveco maintained fourth position with 17 sales, followed by Hyundai (11), Volvo (6), MAN (5), and Foton (4). Mercedes-Benz added 3 units, while UD Trucks and Foton Mobility registered 2 deliveries each. DAF, Dennis Eagle, and Kenworth all finished with empty boards.

Medium-duty truck sales – October 2026:

Light-duty trucks

The light-duty truck category was the hardest-hit sector of the month, sliding below the 1000-unit mark to log 988 deliveries, which marks a 4.0 per cent month-on-month decrease on September’s 1029 units.

Year-on-year, light-duty sales tumbled by a substantial 27.0 per cent (-365 trucks) compared to the 1353 units delivered in October 2025. Year-to-date sales sit at 9522 deliveries, down 15.5 per cent (-1744 trucks) against the first 10 months of last year.

Isuzu spearheaded the category with 448 deliveries, capturing a 45.3 per cent share of the market. Fuso put in a notable performance to claim second place with 166 sales, edging out Hino which finished third with 153 units.

Fiat locked in fourth spot with 85 deliveries, followed by Iveco (36) and Mercedes-Benz (34). Further down the order, LDV registered 28 sales, followed by Foton Mobility (16), Hyundai (13), Renault (4), Ford (3), and Foton (2). Volkswagen recorded zero sales.

Light-duty truck sales – October 2026:

Light-duty vans

The light-duty van segment (3.5-tonne GVM and above) was the sole commercial category to record month-on-month growth, delivering 756 units across October, which is a surprising 0.5 per cent (+4 vans) on September’s 752 units.

However, the category could not escape the broader year-on-year cooling seen across the market, dropping 11.6 per cent (-99 vans) compared to the 855 sales achieved in October 2025. Year-to-date, vans continue to represent the most stable corner of the market with 8120 deliveries, tracking 8.0 per cent down (-710 vans) against the same period last year.

Mercedes-Benz retained its lead at the top of the van ladder with 229 deliveries, fending off LDV which finished close behind with 198 sales. Ford rounded out the podium with 124 units.

Fiat secured fourth place with 69 deliveries, narrowly beating out Volkswagen (67). Renault posted 44 sales, while Iveco logged 21 units and Peugeot closed out the tally with 4 deliveries.

Light-duty van sales – October 2026: