Market Insight: The race for second place

FORD could lose its second-place sales standing to Mazda by the end of this calendar year as the gap between the duo closed to just 1069 units as of October 31.

To the end of October, Mazda has sold 77,382 new vehicles against Ford’s 78,451, giving the duo a market share of 7.6 and 7.9 per cent respectively.

Historically, Mazda has outsold Ford by a significant proportion, only losing to the Blue Oval in 2024 as the American brand rode high on Ranger and Everest sales.

In 2024, Ford beat Mazda by 4183 units (at the end of the calendar year) while in 2023 it was Mazda that pipped Ford – by an impressive 12,208 units.

Far more impressive was Mazda’s lead over Ford in the earlier part of the decade. In 2020 it gapped Ford by 26,039 units, achieving a 29,739-unit gap in 2021, and a 29,090-unit gap in 2022.

Back in the present and it is intriguing to note that sales of both Ford and Mazda are down considerably on the same time last year, with neither likely to crack the 100,000 sales mark by the end of 2025.

Seemingly, the pair are struggling to stay ahead of myriad newcomers, with Ford down 4694 units to the end of October 2024, a decrease of 5.6 per cent, and Mazda down 3761 units, or 4.6 per cent.

Speaking with GoAuto at the recent Mazda 6e electric sedan preview drive event in Melbourne, Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said that he while he is not focussed on a sales race with Ford, he is appreciative of the efforts made by the brand's dealer network in 2025.

“It (the battle against Ford) is not really the game that keep us awake at night. Ford has put in a solid effort, but we are playing our game, and they are playing theirs,” he said.

“We appeal to anywhere between 90,000 and 100,000 customers (per year). That’s where we are, and that is what our dealers have been able to do.

“Our dealers remain committed to offering good customer service and we are happy with our part. It works for us, it works for our customers, and it works for our dealers.”

At the end of October, both Ford and Mazda remained well ahead of third- and fourth-placed Kia (69,494 deliveries) and Hyundai (64,861), with the remainder of the top 10 chart seeing Mitsubishi in fifth place (52,364), GWM in sixth (43,774), BYD seventh (41,882), MG eighth (36,176), Isuzu Ute ninth (35,114), and Subaru tenth (32,787).

Toyota of course continues to hold its place on top of the podium with YTD sales of 201,535 units (down 0.3 per cent) and 19.9 per cent market share (-0.2 per cent).

2020-25 Ford versus Mazda total sales volume and market share*:

*Sales data supplied by VFACTS.

^YTD sales as of October 2025.