Small Cars In Hot Demand

Media Release
20 March 2007

Small Cars In Hot Demand

Demand for small cars has seen their values increase by 30 per cent in the last year according to used car sales statistics released today by Turners Auctions.

In the under 1300cc category there has been an average price increase of 30 per cent in 2006 based on actual Turners sales figures.

Turners General Manager, Marketing Todd Hunter says demand for small cars has been driven by the high fuel prices in the first half of 2006 and a growing environmental conscience among New Zealand motorists.

“The larger engine cars have seen a significant reduction in the average value which can be attributed to both fluctuating oil prices and a desire to reduce vehicle CO2 emissions,” said Mr Hunter.

The Subaru Legacy is New Zealand’s top selling second-hand vehicle but Toyota remains our favourite make of car, according to Turners Auctions which accounts for eight per cent of the total used car market in New Zealand.

Toyota and Nissan are the two most popular makes of cars sold, however competitively priced imported European vehicles such as BMWs and Volkswagens have meant a substantial increase in the number of second-hand European cars sold in the last year.

In the constant battle between the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore, the Falcon edges out Holden as the 6th and 7th most popular cars respectively.

“As the largest seller of used cars in New Zealand, Turners’ sales figures provide an accurate reflection of a vehicle's value. This information is available to all our customers so they can ensure they are paying the right price for any vehicle at auction,” said Mr Hunter.

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About Turners
Turners Auctions is New Zealand's leading car sales channel accounting for 8 per cent of all cars sold in New Zealand every year. Turners’ specialist Auctions include ex-lease, cars, trucks, plant, damaged vehicles and general goods. Turners Finance also offers finance on vehicles sold at Turners Auctions.
www.turners.co.nz

Turners Auctions 2006 Sales Data

Market Share % by Manufacturer 2006 2005
Toyota 21.5 21.9
Nissan 16.7 17.9
Mitsubishi 13.2 13.3
Honda 8.9 8.9
Ford 8.2 7.9
Mazda 7.3 7.3
Subaru 6.1 5.9
Holden 4.2 4.6
Volkswagen 2.0 0.8
BMW 2.0 1.5

Top 10 Most Popular Make & Model

Rank 2006 2005
1 Subaru Legacy Subaru Legacy
2 Toyota Corolla Toyota Corolla
3 Nissan Primera Nissan Primera
4 Nissan Pulsar Nissan Pulsar
5 Mitsubishi Galant Ford Falcon
6 Ford Falcon Mitsubishi Galant
7 Holden Commodore Holden Commodore
8 Toyota Hiace Nissan Bluebird
9 Toyota Camry Toyota Hiace
10 Mitsubishi Diamante Toyota Camry

% of Sales by CC Rating of Cars

% of Sales Average Price
2006 2005 2006 2005
>1300cc 1.1 0.9 5,300 4,100
1300cc -1600cc 24.0 25.1 4,500 4,300
1600cc – 2100cc 38.0 37.5 5,100 5,200
2100cc – 3000cc 27.5 27.5 6,200 7,000
< 3000cc 9.4 9.1 9,000 10,200

% of Total Sales by Colour

2006 2005
Silver 21.3 19.7
White 20.4 21.0
Blue 17.1 17.0
Red 11.9 11.6
Green 11.6 12.3
Grey 6.3 7.2
Black 5.4 5.6
Gold 2.2 2.2
Others 3.8 3.6

% of Sales by Petrol Type

2006 2005
Petrol 89.2 88.0
Diesel 10.7 11.9
LPG 0.1 0.1

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