NZ sales hit for six

NEW ZEALAND could crack the 100,000 new-vehicle sales barrier by the end of this year, sending the final tally into six figures for the first time since 2007.

Sales lifted 17.1 per cent to 8581 units in November over the same month last year, with passenger car registrations up 14.9 per cent to 6484 and commercial vehicles up 24.5 per cent to 2097.

This takes the 2012 tally after 11 months to 93,044 – 70,769 cars and 22,275 commercials – and sales in December are expected to exceed 7000 units.

Motor Industry Association CEO Perry Kerr said he was confident sales will reach 100,000 by the end of the year, a figure that has not been achieved since the GFC.

Used import vehicle sales rose 3.5 per cent in November, to 7517.

Toyota comfortably topped the new-vehicle sales table in November, up 15 per cent to 1768 for a 20.6 per cent share of the total market, with Holden second (up 4.1 per cent to 854) and Ford third (down 10.1 per cent to 827).

From top: Toyota Yaris Suzuki Swift Mazda CX-5 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Toyota NZ sales and operations manager Steve Prangnell said Yaris outsold Suzuki Swift for the first time, thanks in part to government orders, the top-selling Corolla was boosted by the introduction of the new model, and HiLux is on the way to being the number one light truck in NZ for the 30th year now that the impact of the Thai floods is over.

Hyundai improved 10.6 per cent to 638 sales for fourth place but company general manager Andy Sinclair said he has battled stock shortages caused by long-lasting Korean strikes.

“We have had supply of Santa Fe, which is why that has gone well, but everything else has been erratic,” he said.

Mr Sinclair said he hopes to solve the problem in 2013 by diversifying supply and taking deliveries out of Europe.

Mazda finished the month in fifth, up 23.3 per cent to 597, and Mazda NZ marketing manager Glenn Harris said the overall 2012 recovery was down to new product and better supply.

“It’s been a chaotic year and there seems to be an offer in the market every week and month, which has brought private buyers back in, now at 31 per cent of the market, above 28 per cent last year,” said Mr Harris.

The November top 10 was completed by Nissan (up 27.8 per cent), Suzuki (up 35.2 per cent), Mitsubishi (up 7.8 per cent), Volkswagen (up 41.4 per cent) and Honda (up 72.4 per cent).

The top-selling cars were Corolla (462), HiLux (350), Holden Captiva (319), Yaris (267) and Nissan Navara (247).

NZ Top 10 makes November 2012

Rank	Make	Sales	% Share
1	Toyota	1768	20.6
2	Holden	854	9.95
3	Ford	827	9.64
4	Hyundai	638	7.44
5	Mazda	597	6.96
6	Nissan	534	6.22
7	Suzuki	411	4.79
8	Mitsubishi	387	4.51
9	Volkswagen	386	4.5
10	Honda	312	3.64