Toyota HiLux: Nine years Australia's best-selling 4WD

Toyota's HiLux has notched up its ninth straight year as Australia's best-selling four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle, according to the latest national sales figures.

The tough workhorse led the way in 2013 with customers buying 29,344 HiLux 4WD variants, more than 7,500 sales ahead of its nearest rival. In doing so, HiLux established a new Australian record for 4WD sales in a single year, eclipsing the previous mark it set in 2012.

HiLux began its run as Australia's best-selling 4WD in 2005 and has just completed its 16th consecutive year as the country's most prolific seller among all commercial vehicles, including SUVs.

Last year, HiLux 4WD and 2WD deliveries totalled 39,931 combined, making HiLux the third biggest-selling vehicle on the local market. It has topped Australia's monthly sales charts on 13 occasions, including twice last year. It is the only vehicle of its type to have achieved that distinction.

The popularity of HiLux in 2013 was a significant factor in total Australian sales of light-commercial vehicles (LCVs) passing 200,000 for the first time. The final tally was a record 204,566 vehicles, an increase of 3.5 per cent. Toyota remained the dominant LCV market leader with 56,938 sales, outselling the combined totals of its two nearest rivals.

HiLux 4x2 was the best-selling vehicle in its segment with 10,587 sales - more than 4,500 ahead of any other vehicle.