The Motor Industry Association (MIA) says a February new-vehicle sales total of 9809 for New Zealand shows modest growth (up 1.5% on February last year and 2.8% on 2023) and "market stabilisation", but highlights some significant changes in purchasing patterns.
Demand for SUVs and hybrid vehicles resulted in a boost for light passenger vehicles, claiming 71.5% share compared to 61.5% for February 2024. But light commercials, including utes, declined sharply from 31.7% last year to 24.4% for February 2025.
"The significant drop in commercial vehicle sales signals an ongoing contraction in demand, influenced by economic conditions, infrastructure investment cycles, and broader business sentiment," says Aimee Wiley, chief executive of the MIA.
"Tighter business spending and a cautious approach to capital investment translate into delayed fleet renewals and lower commercial vehicle uptake.”
Wiley emphasises that while consumer demand for SUVs and hybrid vehicles continues to grow, the pace of electric vehicle (EV) adoption remains sluggish (6% for February), which still poses a challenge in meeting stricter CO2 targets.
The top vehicle overall for February was still the Toyota RAV4, followed by the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Notably, Hilux is now ahead of Ranger by nearly 20% year-to-date.
A new Toyota entrant in the top-10 is the Land Cruiser Prado, which was 9th for February and 10th for the year overall. That's another tiny kick in the pants for Ford, the arrival of the Prado contributing to the Everest SUV dropping out of the top-10 year-to-date.
NZ'S TOP NEW VEHICLES YEAR-TO-DATE
Toyota RAV4 (1739)
Toyota Hilux (1215)
Ford Ranger (1079)
Mitsubishi Outlander (641)
Kia Seltos (646)
Mitsubishi Triton (518)
Mitsubishi ASX (569)
Suzuki Swift (427)
MG ZS (359)
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (340)