NZ Sales: Second-strongest year on record

NEW ZEALAND set a passenger car and SUV sales record in 2022 with annual registrations of 116,445 models representing a 3.8 per cent increase (4302 units) compared with 2021.

Overall, the new vehicle market for light and heavy vehicles came in just 0.3 per cent (490 units) up on the number for 2021, making it the second-highest year on record overall.

According to the New Zealand Motor Industry Association (MIA), the increase is driven primarily by an uptick in electrified passenger and SUV sales, which are up 77 per cent over the year prior.

Small to medium vehicle segments took the lion’s share of sales in 2022 at 59 per cent of the total market.

The MIA says sales of battery electric vehicles (BEV) for 2022 “strongly exceeded expectations” and “are rapidly closing the gap on monthly sales of hybrids”.

Vehicles with “some form of electrification” grew strongly in 2022 with 16,223 BEVs, 7259 plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and 17,621 hybrids (HEV) sold, compared to 6897, 2482 and 13,794 units respectively in 2021.

For the year, top-selling BEV models were the Tesla Model Y (4226 units) followed by the Tesla Model 3 (2781 units) and BYD Atto 3 (1685 units). Both the Tesla Model Y and the BYD Atto 3 were introduced in the second half of 2022.

There were 388 PHEVs registered in December, with top-selling models being the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (143 units) followed by the Ford Escape (102 units) and the Mitsubishi Outlander (53 units).

Most-popular PHEVs in 2022 were the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (2705 units) followed by

its bigger Outlander sibling (2243 units), with the MG HS in third (647 units).

A total of 1286 HEVs were registered in the month of December, among which top-sellers were the Toyota RAV4 (3841 units) followed by the Honda Jazz (1893 units) and Toyota Corolla (1640 units).

For the year, the top three market leaders were Toyota with a 17 per cent share (28,727 units) followed by Mitsubishi with 14 per cent (23,886 units) and Ford with nine per cent (15,212 units, of which the Ranger comprised 11,577 units).

This year’s top-selling passenger and SUV models were the Mitsubishi Outlander (9104 units) distantly followed by the Toyota RAV4 (5863 units) and Tesla Model Y (4226 units).

The MIA says that there were 7230 heavy vehicles sold throughout 2022, up 948 units on the year prior.

December sales were likewise strong with a total of 11,840 unit sales marking only a modest downturn of -4.3 per cent or 706 units on a year prior . The month saw 8505 passenger and SUV models plus 3335 commercial vehicle models registered.

For the month of December, the top sales segments were medium SUV (24 per cent), compact SUV (20 per cent) and 4x4 ute (16 per cent).

The Ford Ranger was the month’s top-selling model (1114 units) ahead of the Tesla Model Y (848 units), Toyota HiLux (615 units) and Tesla Model 3 in fourth position (413 units).

Those statistics almost mirror NZ’s top model sales for the past year, the Ford Ranger taking top place with 11,577 units ahead of the Toyota HiLux (9787 units) and Mitsubishi Outlander (9104 units).

Toyota remained the overall market leader in December with a 16 per cent slice of the action (1944 units), followed by Ford with 14 per cent (1606 units) and Tesla in third place with 11 per cent (1281 units).

Indeed, BEV, PHEV and HEV models sold strongly across December with the Tesla Model Y in top place (868 units). The Model Y beat Tesla’s own Model 3 (413 units) and the BYD Atto 3 (318 units) to form part of 2289 light vehicles sold with battery electric power.

Tesla was the market leader for passenger and SUV registrations in December with 15 per cent market share (1281 units) followed by Toyota with 14 per cent (1193 units) and then Mitsubishi with 12 per cent market share (981 units).

Highest-selling passenger and SUV models for the month were the Tesla Model Y (868 units) followed by the Tesla Model 3 (413 units) and the MG ZS (396 units).

Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford said the sales figures for New Zealand in 2022 were “an outstanding result given rising interest rates, a challenging business environment and inflationary pressures dampening economic activity”, adding that “the outlook for 2023 is for a somewhat softer outcome, with businesses and private buyers tightening their belts”.

Top 10 sales by make (December, passenger, SUV and commercial):

Top 10 sales by model (December, passenger and SUV):

Top 10 sales by model (December, commercial):

Top 10 sales by make (Full year 2022, passenger, SUV and commercial):

Top 10 sales by model (2022, passenger and SUV):

Top 10 sales by model (2022, commercial):