Consumer confidence clear as April vehicle sales soar

Media Release 6 May 2014


Consumer confidence clear as April vehicle sales soar

The New Zealand vehicle market continues to enjoy the benefits of renewed consumer confidence with sales of 18,767 New Zealand new and used import vehicles during April. This was 2,774 units (17 percent) more than the same month last year making it the best April since 2005.

For the year to date, total vehicle sales of 80,377 units are already 14,685 units (22 percent) ahead of the same time in 2013.

“Used imports have really come in to their own in recent months, and are helping maintain the momentum that the new car sector set in motion last year. The growth in new vehicles has been more modest in recent months, but used imported cars are more than filling the gap,” says MTA spokesperson Hamish Stuart.

Used import vehicles led the way with sales of 10,039 units – 2,188 units (28 percent) ahead of April 2013. For the year to date, used import vehicle sales of 40,747 units are already 9,742 units (31 percent) ahead of 2013.

Used import passenger vehicle sales of 9,501 units were 2,083 units (28 percent) ahead of April 2013, making it the best April for used import passenger vehicle sales since 2006.

Used import commercial sales of 538 units were 105 units (24 percent) ahead of the same month last year, making this the best April for used import commercial vehicles since 2008.

Nissan Tiida was again the leading used import passenger model with sales of 515 units, ahead of Suzuki Swift on 459 units and Mazda Axela on 443 units.
New passenger vehicle sales of 6,150 units were also strong and came in 243 units (4 percent) ahead of April 2013, while new commercial sales of 2,578 units were 343 units (15 percent) ahead of the same month last year. For the year to date, new vehicle sales are 4,743 units (14 percent) ahead of 2013.

Toyota was the market leader for new passenger cars for April with a 12 percent share (764 units), followed by Holden with a 10 percent share (662 units) and Hyundai who secured a 9 percent share (571 units).

In terms of individual passenger vehicle models, Toyota Corolla led the way with sales of 298 units, ahead of surprise runner-up Nissan with its new X-Trail with 238 units and Holden Commodore 217 units.

Toyota also led the new commercial vehicle market with a 24 percent share (619 units), followed by Ford with a 21 percent share (544 units) and Holden who secured a 9 percent share (253 units).

The battle for individual new commercial vehicle supremacy continued. Ford Ranger took out top spot in April with sales of 513 units, well ahead of Toyota Hilux on 377 units and Holden Colorado on 231 units.

“We are starting to see some impacts from this sales surge in areas beyond just the sales charts: the number of traders in the market has grown this by 22 percent in the past year, while the overall car fleet grew by 2.4 percent last year. While a resurgent market provides plenty of positives, it inevitably raises other issues that have their own spin-off effects,” says Stuart.

At 504 units, sales of on-road motorcycles were unmoved from a year ago. For the year to date, sales are ahead by 236 units (10 percent).

Suzuki again led with overall sales of 118 units, comfortably ahead of Honda, on 60 units, and Harley Davidson, on 42 units.

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