New Zealand October 2015: Rental season pushes Corolla back to #1

The Toyota Corolla holds 10.5% of the New Zealand market in October.

* See the Top 30 best-selling models and Top 62 brands by clicking on the title *

New car sales in New Zealand are up 7% year-on-year to deliver the highest October since records began in 1975 at 12.686 registrations, lifting the year-to-date total up 5% to 112.184 – still well on track to pass the 130.000 annual sales mark for the first time in history, with an option to even push it to 140.000… Summer approaching means rental car companies are starting to stock up and impact greatly on the models ranking. The Toyota Corolla, with the added incentive of a facelift this year, leaps to 10.5% share thanks to 1.334 units – 1.087 of which were sold to rental companies. The Corolla now trails the Ford Ranger by just 135 units year-to-date and should swallow this gap easily before the year ends.

Toyota Highlander

Two additional Toyota nameplates benefitting from the rental season are the Highlander up a tremendous 86% year-on-year to #3 and 3.4% share vs. #15 and 1.8% so far in 2015 and the Yaris up 13 spots on September to #4 and 3% vs. #10 and 1.9% year-to-date. With the Hilux at #5 and the RAV4 at #6, Toyota places no less than five nameplates in the New Zealand Top 6 this month. Notice also the Mazda6 at #17, the Ssangyong Korando at #20 and the Hyundai Tucson at #27. Brand-wise, Toyota unsurprisingly leads the dance at 26.2% share above Holden (10.3%) resisting much better than at home in Australia, Ford (9.6%), Mazda up 66% (8.1%) and Hyundai (5.8%). Mercedes is up 40%, Ssangyong up 60%, Fiat up 43% and Land Rover up 55%.

Previous month: New Zealand September 2015: Ford Ranger sails away

One year ago: New Zealand October 2014: Rentals edge Toyota Corolla past Ford Ranger YTD

Full October 2015 Top 30 models and Top 62 brands below.