New Zealand New-Vehicle Sales See Best-Ever October

New Zealand’s new-vehicle sales rush continued unabated with the best October result on record as deliveries jumped 12% to 12,023 units, raising the year-to-date total 6.1% to 106,582.

Motor Industry Assn. CEO David Crawford says the month was the strongest October since the MIA started collecting records in 1975. The previous best was in 1984 with 10,724 units.

“Not only are distributors of new vehicles closing in fast on the total new-vehicles sales of 113,297 units for all of 2013, they are also on track to exceed the highest ever annual total for new registrations, which was 123,247 units in 1984,” Crawford says in a statement.

October car sales were up 11.9% to 8,910 units, with commercial-vehicle deliveries improving 13.8% to 3,113.

Year-to-date sales of new cars were up 10.4% to 75,685 units, while the CV segment was up 20.7% to 30,761.

Toyota again was the overall market leader in October with a 26% market share (3,102 units), followed by Ford, with 11% (1,358), and GM Holden, with 10% (1,218).

The Toyota Corolla was the top-selling model in October at 1,257 units, ahead of the Ford Ranger (627) and Toyota Hilux (514).

Toyota set the pace in the car market in October with a 27% share (2,395 units), followed by GM Holden with 11% (966) and Hyundai with 8% (673). Toyota also was the CV market leader with a 23% share (707 units), with Ford at 22% (691) and GM Holden at 8% (252).

The Ford Ranger retained its position as the monthly top-selling CV in October with a 20% market share (627 units). The Toyota Hilux claimed 17% (514) and the Holden Colorado had 8% (235).

Year-to-date the Ranger has stretched its lead as the top-selling CV model with a 16% market share (5,061 units) followed by the Hilux, also with 16% (4,778), for a lead of 283 copies.

SUVs continued to be the strongest-selling segment with 26% of all vehicle deliveries in October, followed by small cars with 23% and pickups/chassis-cabs with 18%.

“Healthy economic confidence combined with competitive pricing is fueling strong demand for new vehicles,” Crawford says. “The long-run price of new vehicles in real terms continues to improve. Over the last 20 years the (consumer price index) has increased by 57%, while the real price of vehicles has decreased by 22.5%, a difference of nearly 78% compared to 1994.”