New Zealand New-Car Sales Stall in November
Combined new-car and CV sales through November declined only slightly from like-2010, despite the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and Thailand flooding that depleted inventories.
New Zealand’s new-car market is treading water, with November sales down 3.8% year-on-year to 5,664 units but up 4% from October.
The Motor Industry Assn. says commercial-vehicle sales remained strong, up 11.7% from like-2010 to 1,684 units.
Year-to-date new-car deliveries slipped 4.6% to 58,693 units from prior-year’s 61,581. Commercial-vehicle sales improved 14.3% to 19,471.
The results put the combined new-vehicle market, besieged by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster and the massive Thailand floods, at 78,164 units, down fractionally from 78,609 at the same time last year.
“We anticipated last month’s general election would have a negative impact on vehicle sales, so to come out of the month slightly ahead of October was good,” association CEO Perry Kerr says in a statement.
“Year-to-date, the numbers reflect the serious stock shortages that impacted on the industry. Commercial sales are, however, buoyant, so there must be some life in the underlying economy.”
In the passenger-car segment Toyota was the No.1 seller in November with 1,138 units, well ahead of GM Holden (703) and Ford (616).
Through November, Toyota (9,727 units) and Holden (6,082) occupy the top two positions, ahead of Hyundai (5,827) and Ford (5,449).
Toyota’s 400 commercial-vehicle deliveries last month consolidated its 11-month lead with 5,437 units. Ford sold 302 CVs in November and ranks second year-to-date with 2,559.
The Toyota Corolla topped passenger-car sales last month with 439 units, followed by the Hyundai i30 (238) and Toyota RAV4 (221).
Corolla is the sales leader through 11 months, outpacing the Suzuki Swift and Holden Commodore.
The Ford Ranger was the No.1 CV in November with 264 deliveries, outselling Toyota’s Hilux (259) and Hiace (122).
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