New Zealand March 2015: 5 Pickups in the Top 6 in record market

The Holden Colorado cracks the NZ podium for the first time this month.

* See the Top 30 best-selling models and Top 63 All-brands by clicking on the title *

The New Zealand new vehicle market continues to jump from record to record: up a further 5% year-on-year in March to 11,755 registrations, the best March score since 1984. This is split into 8,075 new passenger cars (best March since 1984) and 3,680 new commercial vehicles (best March since 1982), bringing the first quarter total to 33,299 units, up 8% on 2014. Toyota leads the way again with 1,788 sales and 15.2% share above Holden (9.8%) and Ford (9.3%), replicating the 2015 year-to-date order. Mitsubishi is up two spots to #4 and 8% share, knocking Mazda and Hyundai to #5 and #6 respectively. Mercedes is up 15% so far in 2015, Jeep up 29%, Isuzu up 31%, Foton up 68%, Fiat up 73% and Porsche up 103%.

The new models should push Mitsubishi Triton sales even further up this year.

The NZ models ranking has a very particular taste this month: now that the Summer season is well and truly over and rental sales are down to insignificant figures, pickup trucks literally kill the ranking: there are 5 of them in the Top 6, with the Toyota Corolla the only passenger car at #4… The Toyota Hilux is in the lead like in February with 548 sales, but the Ford Ranger – #2 at 514 units – is still #1 year-to-date. Thanks to 346 deliveries, the Holden Colorado breaks into the NZ podium for the first time ever (previous best: #4 reached in June 2014), the Mitsubishi Triton is up 5 ranks on February to #5 and the Nissan Navara is down two to #4. Notice also the Suzuki Swift up 8 to #7 and the Mitsubishi Outlander up 12 to #11.

Previous month: New Zealand February 2015: Toyota Hilux reclaims lead

One year ago: New Zealand March 2014: Ford Ranger #1, now above Toyota Hilux year-to-date

Full March 2015 Top 30 models and Top 63 All-brands below.