July Sales Keep New Zealand on Pace for Record Year

New Zealand’s new-vehicle sales maintained their record pace in July, edging up 1% to 10,366 units as car deliveries rose 2.8% to 7,271 units.

Motor Industry Assn. CEO David Crawford says the best July result since 1986 left year-to-date vehicle sales up 5% at 75,928 units.

He says the 7-month result comprises a 4.5% increase in car sales to 53,586 units and a 5.9% rise in commercial-vehicle deliveries to 22,342.

But Crawford says overall growth has slowed in recent months.

“Registrations of new CVs in July were down 4.6% on July 2014, reflecting recent general economic indicators elsewhere in the economy,” he says.

Toyota remained the overall market leader in July with 1,856 units for an 18% market share. Ford followed with 1,042 units (10%), ahead of GM Holden with 972 (9%).

Year-to-date Toyota (13,555), GM Holden (7,917) and Ford (7,481) were the overall sales leaders.

The car segment in July saw Toyota deliver 1,179 units (16%) ahead of Mazda with 924 (10%) and GM Holden with 647 (9%). The Toyota Corolla returned to the top of the sales list with 352 units, ahead of the Toyota RAV4 (288) and Mazda CX-5 (241).

Toyota (8,912), Holden (5,702) and Mazda (4,838) were the car-market leaders through July.

CV deliveries fell 4.6% year-on-year in July to 3,094 units with Toyota accounting for 677 units, Ford 529 and Holden 325.

Ford’s Ranger remained the monthly top-selling CV model with 460 units, ahead of the Toyota Hilux (448) and Holden Colorado (300). Year-to-date, Ranger held a 16% market share with 3,494 sales, Hilux 14% (3,029) and Nissan Navara 9% (2,122).

“Looking ahead, while registrations of new vehicles for the 2015 year are likely to be above the record 127,179 achieved in 2014,” Crawford says, “it is unlikely to break the 130,000 barrier for the first time, which we previously anticipated might be possible.”