Hot Start to Year for Auto Sales in New Zealand

New Zealand’s new-vehicle market starts 2017 where it left off in 2016 – at a record pace.

The Motor Industry Assn. says January results raced up 16% to 13,825 units, following an exceptional 9.5% gain last year.

“This is the strongest ever start to a new sales year, with record levels of new vehicles purchased by New Zealand businesses and consumers across the passenger and commercial sectors,” MIA CEO David Crawford says in a statement.

“As 2017 gets under way, nothing has changed with the economic environment that existed for most of 2016. The key drivers to high levels of new vehicle sales are the continued high levels of net immigration, low costs of debt and a strong national economy.”

Car and SUV sales rose 14.1% year-on-year to 10,150 units in January, with commercial-vehicle deliveries up 23% to 3,673.

Toyota also started the year where it left off – comfortably atop the sales table. It delivered 2,324 units during the month for a 17% market share. Holden was a distant second, with 1,764 units for 13%, ahead of Ford’s 1,566 vehicles (11%).

Toyota led car and SUV sales with 1,644 units, followed by Holden (1,381) and Mazda (779).

The CV market saw Ford on top with 788 units for a 21% share, ahead of Toyota (698 units) and Holden (383).

Ford Ranger began the year where it ended the last two years – as the best-selling vehicle with 741 units. Toyota Corolla followed (590), ahead of Toyota RAV4 (556).

Crawford says reflecting recent trends, the medium-SUV segment accounted for 17% of the market, followed by the small passenger-vehicle segment with 13% and the large-SUV sector with 12% market share.

“Overall the sports utility segments accounted for 40% of January registrations, followed by the passenger-vehicle segments with 32%,” he says.