NZ sales struggle rolls on in February

NEW Zealand new-vehicle sales remained low in February at 5058 units – a slide of 38 per cent on the same month last year.

Passenger-car registrations were down 39 per cent – from 6175 units last February to 3795 units this year – while used-import registrations fell 49 per cent, from 9026 last February to 4626.

Some industry insiders had considered last month’s 29 per cent market fall (to 6508 units) an anomaly, but February’s data revealed the continuing decline.

The top brands are largely holding market share and showing a similar pattern to last year, with Toyota topping the table at 20.5 per cent share so far this year, against an 18.3 per cent share last year to the end of February.

Ford is holding down second spot, just ahead of Holden, reversing last year’s positions.

Mazda, which outsold Holden last month by the narrowest of margins (one unit), remains fourth overall YTD.

Left: Ford Focus.

Hyundai has been the big mover in market share, although its sales have also fallen – albeit by less than some of its competitors. The South Korean brand sold 375 new vehicles last month, which was an 11 per cent fall compared to February 2008.

YTD, Hyundai is now holding fifth position with a 6.23 per cent share (720 sales), whereas last year it was ninth with a 4.7 per cent share from 840 new-vehicle sales.

This illustrates the fall of a number of other brands around it. For example, Suzuki sold 247 cars in February (down 49 per cent) and is now down 51 per cent YTD (536 sales), sending it slipping from sixth to eighth.

With 242 sales for the month, Mitsubishi was down 46 per cent on February 2008, and is now down 61 per cent YTD. The result has seen it move from seventh to ninth in new-vehicle sales.

At the top end, Toyota sold 832 cars in February, a 66 per cent drop on the same month last year, for 2122 units YTD (down 42 per cent).

Ford sold 620 vehicles, a 35 per cent drop, and has accumulated 1489 units YTD – 25 per cent fewer than at the same point last year – while Holden sold 463, a 51 per cent fall, for 1274 units YTD (down 39 per cent).

Mazda’s 464 sales for the month represented a 26 per cent fall over February 2008, while its 970 units YTD is down 24 per cent over the same period last year.

Nissan is the best of the rest, with 328 sales in February, down 39 per cent, and down 41 per cent in YTD terms, although it is expecting new models to help halt the trend.

Honda’s 288 sales in February represented a 41 per cent drop for the month and 33 per cent fall YTD. It has just launched its updated Odyssey people-mover but cancelled the press event for the niche model to save costs.

Volkswagen remains top European brand, with 165 sales for the month, up on last February’s 158 sales. YTD, however, it is 10 per cent down.

Alfa Romeo and Volvo each sold eight vehicles in February, Fiat sold six cars, Jaguar five, Citroen and Renault each sold three, while Land Rover and Saab managed two units each.

The result from Saab, which has a low profile in New Zealand, was the same as February last year.

However, other results show Citroen down 75 per cent for the month, Renault down 80 per cent, Fiat down 85 per cent, and Land Rover down 95 per cent.

NZ Top 10 February 2009:
Rank	Make	Sales	% Share
1	Toyota	832	16.40%
2	Ford	620	12.26%
3	Mazda	464	9.17%
4	Holden	463	9.15%
5	Hyundai	375	7.41%
6	Nissan	328	6.48%
7	Honda	288	5.69%
8	Suzuki	247	4.88%
9	Mitsubishi	242	4.78%
10=	Kia	165	3.26%
10=	Volkswagen	165	3.26%

Source: New Zealand Motor Industry Association

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