NZ sales: Tumble in April

NEW Zealand’s new-vehicle market, which posted record-setting sales figures in March, slumped in April on the back of Clean Car Discount fees that came into effect on the first day of the past month.

As predicted, the introduction of the scheme saw sales tumble in dramatic fashion during April – the sales total of 9756 vehicles (-25.7%) was the weakest for the calendar month since 2015. That figure comprises 8536 passenger and SUV models – many of which are now eligible for a discount under the Clean Car Discount program – and just 1220 commercial vehicles (a reduction of a whopping 72 per cent compared to March).

Registrations of heavy vehicle remains solid for April with 483 units sold during the month.

Motor Industry Association (MIA) CEO David Crawford says a total of just 730 light commercial models were sold in April and it marked the first month in over a decade in which a light commercial utility has not featured in the top-three monthly registrations. However, Mr Crawford says sales of utes will gradually recover as the year progresses.

Despite the bad news, the NZ market remains buoyant with year-to-date sales up 3.4 per cent (by 1853 units) compared with the first four months of last year. Electrified models continue to perform well in the market with 2143 hybrid, 1113 plug-on hybrid and 572 battery-electric vehicles sold for the month of April.

The top-three-selling battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were the Polestar 2 (81 units), Nissan Leaf (71) and Hyundai Kona (70), with plug-in hybrid favourites including the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (497), Mitsubishi Outlander (479) and MG HS (28).

The MIA says sales of petrol-electric hybrid vehicles recovered in April as buyers delayed their purchase to take advantage of the rebates now offered as part of the Clean Car Discount scheme. Pure hybrid best-sellers for the month included the Toyota RAV4 (525), Honda Jazz (461) and Toyota Corolla (198).

Toyota regained the overall top spot in April with sales of 1744 units (18%) ahead of Mitsubishi (1623 units and 17%) and Suzuki (797 units and 8%). Year-to-date percentages, however, favour the three-diamond brand (17%) ahead of the big T (13%) and Ford (9%).

The top three passenger-vehicle models for the month were the Mitsubishi Outlander (837), Toyota RAV4 (716) and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (544).

As noted, New Zealand’s commercial vehicle sales were heavily impacted by the activation of the Clean Car Discount scheme; because of the pre-emptive buying spree in March, demand for utes tanked in April. Ford regained its market lead with 305 unit sales (25%) ahead of Toyota’s 146 units (12%) and Fuso in third place with 105 units (9%).

The Ford Ranger took top spot among the nation’s best-selling utes in April with 287 sales (24%), followed by the Toyota HiLux’s 103 unit sales (8%) and the Nissan Navara’s 85 (7%).

This year to date, the Ford Ranger also leads the commercial segment with a 21 per cent share (4282 units), narrowly ahead of the Mitsubishi Triton (21% and 4248 units) and a six per cent ahead of the Toyota HiLux (15% and 3073 units).

Year-to-date sales for passenger vehicles totalled 36,324 at the end of April (down from 37,328 this time last year) and 20,476 light and heavy commercial vehicles (up from 17,633).