NZ sales: Hot August heights

NEW ZEALAND has recorded its strongest new car sales month ever as fresh shipments arrive allowing back orders to be filled. The month’s tally bucks the trend of a softening market bought on by rising living costs, high fuel prices, continued vehicle supply constraints and a weaking Kiwi economy.

The Motor Industry Association (MIA) says New Zealand recorded 14,690 new vehicle registrations in August including 10,940 passenger cars and SUVs, up 138.6 per cent on the same month last year and 3750 new commercial vehicles (up 117.7%). The numbers place the year-to-date tally for NZ up 1.3 per cent on this time last year (1396 units).

Market leadership in August was again dominated by Toyota with an 18 per cent share of the New Zealand new car market (2678 units) ahead of Mitsubishi (12% and 1697 units) and Kia in third spot with an 11 per cent share (1574 units).

Toyota has regained its market position in terms of year-to-date sales, now holding a 17 per cent share (18,466 units) ahead of Mitsubishi (16% and 16,871 units) and then Ford with eight per cent (8443 units).

August was also a “noticeably strong” month for registrations of electric vehicles with 2530 units registered, the MIA says. The figure comprises 27 BEV light commercial models, three BEV heavy commercial models, 627 PHEVs and 1626 hybrid models sold for the months.

The top selling battery electric models for August were the Tesla Model 3 (745 units) and Model Y (581 units) ahead of the BYD Atto 3 (448 units). The plug-in hybrid market was dominated by the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (198 units) and Outlander (191 units) ahead of the MG HS (98 units) while hybrid vehicle sales favoured the Toyota RAV 4 (342 units), Kia Niro (166 units) and Toyota Highlander (154 units).

SUV and passenger vehicle sales were topped by Toyota with a market share of 15 per cent (1630 units) followed by Kia on 14 per cent (1574 units) then Mitsubishi with 12 per cent (1265). The top selling vehicles for the month of August were the Tesla Model 3 (745 units), Mitsubishi Outlander (677 units) and Tesla Model Y (581 units).

Year-to-date sales for the segment see Mitsubishi in the lead with 15 per cent (11,556 units) ahead of Toyota (14% and 10,421 units) and then Kia with 11 per cent (8381 units).

The MIA says New Zealand’s light commercial vehicle market was again soft through August. Toyota topped the segment with a 28 per cent market share (1048 units) followed by Ford with 25 per cent (1048 units) and Mitsubishi in third with a nine per cent market share (332 units).

Ford’s Ranger took top spot in the segment in August as the best-selling commercial model with a 25 per cent share of the market (934 units) followed by the Toyota HiLux (24% and 897 units) and the Mitsubishi Triton in third place with an eight per cent market share (298 units).

Light commercial vehicle year-to-date sales see the Toyota HiLux in top spot with a 20 per cent share of the Kiwi market (6634 units) leading Ford’s Ranger (20% and 6408 units) and the Mitsubishi Triton (15 % and 4938 units).

Registrations of heavy vehicles “remain strong” at 647 units for the month, the MIA says.

In terms of segmentation, the SUV Medium segment was the most popular in August at 28 per cent followed by SUV Compact with 20 per cent, then the Pickup / Cab-Chassis 4x4 segment with a 14 per cent market share.

Top 10 sales by make (August 2022):

Top 10 sales by model (August 2022):

Top 10 commercial sales by model (August 2022):