It is the first time a utility vehicle has taken the mantle of Australia's top seller.

Ute sales have grown strongly in the last couple of years, fuelled by the resource boom, a break in the drought in some rural areas and a trend towards utes being used as recreational, private vehicles.

Toyota's divisional manager, national sales, Tony Cramb, says the 3814 HiLux sales, compared with 2999 last year, were a result of improved supply of the vehicle from Thailand.

"The demand has always been there, it was really just a case of freeing up supply from the factory," he says.

"The mining boom in Western Australia and Queensland has been a factor and we've also seen more demand from farmers in areas where the drought has broken," he says.

There is also a growing demand from private buyers, particularly for diesel four-wheel-drive "double cab" models with five seats.

"A lot of people are customising their trucks like over in the US. The four-wheel-drive double cab diesel is really hot at the moment and a lot of that is lifestyle driven," he says.

Sales of two-wheel-drive utes are up 15.9pc, while four-wheel-drive sales have grown by 5pc.

Overall, the vehicle market bounced back strongly from a slow April, showing no signs of being affected by the recent talk about interest rates hikes.

SOURCE: Sydney Morning Herald.