New Zealand’s new-vehicle sales saw a significant rise in September, with a 22% increase in registrations compared to the previous 12 months, according to the Motor Industry Association (MIA). Passenger vehicles led the growth with a 27.9% rise, while light commercials showed a 2.6% improvement.
The MIA reports that the strong results are partly due to waiting lists, as vehicles ordered earlier finally arrived. Rental sales were also strong, making up nearly one-third of overall registrations for September.
The drive towards electrified vehicles continues, with battery electric (BEV) registrations increasing to 2593, from 608 a year earlier. Plug-in hybrids also rose to 1203, from 388. Together, BEV and plug-in hybrid vehicles represented 28.7% of passenger registrations.
Notably, every second consumer registration in September was a BEV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The number of private buyers has increased 20% year on year.
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MIA chief executive Aimee Wiley says, “September was a strong month, with growth extending beyond passenger vehicles into the commercial segments.” She notes that passenger vehicles remain the main driver of growth this year, while September’s improvement in commercial registrations is encouraging after several softer months.
The top-selling vehicle for September overall was the Toyota Corolla Cross, with 713 of the total 1053 sales being rental vehicles. The Tesla Model Y was the top-selling BEV, followed by the BYD Atto 2 and MG4.
The best-selling PHEV was the Toyota RAV4 for the second month, followed by the BYD Sealion 6 and GWM Haval H6. The MIA also reports that the strong performance this year for rental vehicles is a positive indicator for the tourism sector.
Year-to-date numbers reveal an 11.4% rise in overall registrations, led by passenger vehicles with a 16.7% increase. The top 10 new vehicles year-to-date are:
Ford Ranger (7062)
Toyota Hilux (5983)
Toyota RAV4 (5602)
Toyota Corolla Cross (3446)
Mitsubishi ASX (3141)
Mitsubishi Outlander (3074)
Mitsubishi Triton (2993)
Tesla Model Y (2980)
Ford Everest (2128)
Kia Sportage (2102)
