New Zealand October 2019: Rentals lift Toyota to 28.3%

83% of Toyota Camrys sold in New Zealand in October are rentals.

The New Zealand new vehicle market skids -10.1% year-on-year in October to 14.956 units, however the year-ago comparison set is particularly challenging as it was the largest monthly volume in history (16.639). The year-to-date tally is now down -4.8% to 129.529. Passenger cars are down -14.7% to 3.974 and -11.5% YTD to 29.952, SUVs slip -6.3% to 6.619 and -1.2% YTD to 56.062 and light commercials drop -11.6% to 3.717 and -3.4% YTD to 37.575. Brand leader Toyota (-15.2%) falls faster than the market but hits a splendid 28.3% share vs. 18.8% YTD, easily distancing Ford (-4.1%) at 8.3%, Mitsubishi (+0.9%) at 7.8%, Holden (-24.5%) at 7.2% and Mazda (-32.1%) at 5.7%. BMW (+35.8%), Audi (+23%), Kia (+15.7%) and Nissan (+13.4%) all brilliantly swim upstream, lodging the only double-digit gains in the Top 20 while MG lands at #19 and Tesla soars 584.6% year-on-year (but down -76.5% on September) to #21.

As summer is approaching, the New Zealand models charts starts to be heavily impacted by sales to rental companies. We now offer a monthly Top 20 rental sales models for New Zealand. The Toyota Corolla (-27.2%) leaps to first place thanks to a whopping 82% rental ratio. In fact rental Corollas top the NZ market in their own right this month. The Toyota RAV4 (-10.9%) soars to #2 with a 74% rental ratio, distancing the Ford Ranger (-5.4%) still comfortably #1 YTD, the Toyota Hilux (-14.6%) and Mitsubishi Triton (-9.5%) down to #4 YTD below the Corolla. The Toyota Hiace (-1.7%) is up 13 spots on September to #8 thanks to 45% rentals, the Nissan Qashqai (+34.8%) remains at #10 (34% rentals), the Mitsubishi Outlander (+31.1%) is up to #11 (37% rentals), the Toyota Camry surges from outside the September Top 30 directly to #13 thanks to 83% rentals, the Nissan X-Trail (+53.9%) is up 8 ranks to #14 with 43% rentals, the Hyundai Tucson (+54.5%) posts a rare healthy gain not impacted much by rentals (24%), but the Toyota Fortuner (80%), Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (61%), Holden Equinox (70%), Commodore (62%), Acadia (55%) and Toyota C-HR (69%) entirely owe their presence in the October NZ Top 30 to rental sales.

Previous month: New Zealand September 2019: Holden up 46%, Tesla Model 3 #1 private car in record market (+4.5%)

One year ago: New Zealand October 2018: Rentals push market to all-time high volume, Toyota at 30%

Full October 2019 Top 65 All-brands, Top 30 models and Top 20 rental sales below.