The Ford Ranger was the top-selling new vehicle in New Zealand for March... but only by 4 registrations. The Toyota RAV4 still leads the race year-to-date and by quite a margin, with 2444 sales compared to Toyota Hilux (1884) and Ranger (1787).
Overall, the Motor Industry Association (MIA) says the market continues to "show signs of stabilisation", with March registrations up 2.6% year-on-year. Light passenger vehicles are quite resilient, but commercials are still in decline: CVs were down 8.7% on March 2024 and heavy vehicles slumped 39%.
“This is a clear signal of shifting dynamics within the commercial sector,” says Aimee Wiley, chief executive of the MIA. “Rather than expanding fleets, operators appear to be focusing on utilisation and efficiency, managing through a period of softer demand.
"Heavy vehicle registrations were likely supported by earlier forward orders, but the steep year-to-date decline suggests that underlying demand is now being tested as economic headwinds weigh more heavily on investment decisions.”
Hybrid vehicles remain the strongest performers in the passenger market, now accounting for one in every three new registrations. However, the uptake of fully electric vehicles is progressing at a more subdued pace.
Hybrid accounted for 35.7% of March light passenger sales; pure-electric claimed just 7% and plug-in hybrid 3.5%. Conventional ICE still accounts for more than half of sales, with a 53.7% share.
The commercial sector is also beginning to reflect this shift. “We’re seeing a notable shift in the light commercial segment, with strong early adoption of new, lower-emission offerings,” says Wiley.
Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric light commercial vehicles accounted for 19.6% of
registrations in March and 23% year-to-date.
NZ'S TOP NEW VEHICLES YEAR-TO-DATE
Toyota RAV4 (2444)
Toyota Hilux (1884)
Ford Ranger (1787)
Mitsubishi Triton (1005)
Mitsubishi Outlander (993)
Kia Seltos (941)
Mitsubishi ASX (933)
Nissan Navara (716)
Suzuki Swift (614)
MG ZS (544)
BYD Shark 6 (539)