Sales of new cars and trucks in Australia have jumped amid further signs the global auto industry is overcoming supply chain issues.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) says 87,299 new vehicles were sold in October, a 16.9 per cent improvement on the 74,650 retailed in the same month last year.

That took demand so far in 2022 to 898,429, a 0.9 per cent improvement on 2021.

“Globally, car manufacturers have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said.

“This October figure is a positive sign that supply chains are recovering and consistency is returning to the marketplace but we still have some way to go before it returns to normal.”

The latest figures show a continued increase in demand for electric cars, with more than 2000 sold last month and more than half of those by Tesla.

However, the FCAI said Australian buyers still preferred SUV and light commercial vehicles – segments where there were few electric options.

SUVs and commercials accounted for more than 80 per cent of all sales in October compared to just 15 per cent for standard passenger cars.

“Consumer preference for these vehicles needs to be considered when charting any policy designed to increase the uptake of zero-emission vehicles,” Mr Weber said. 

“This is particularly critical given the low availability and high price points of zero and low emission models in these segments.”

Toyota was the top-selling brand last month with 18,259 vehicles ahead of Ford with 7823, Kia with 6380, Mitsubishi with 5982 and Hyundai with 5289.

The Ford Ranger was the best-selling model with 5628 sales followed by the Toyota Hi-Lux with 4890, the Toyota Rav4 with 3222, the Mazda CX-5 with 2352 and the MG ZS with 2293.