New Zealand July 2020: Toyota RAV4 tops market back in positive (+3.3%)
The Toyota RAV4 is #1 in New Zealand for the 2nd time in the past 3 months. Picture chasingcars.com.au
Just as New Zealand celebrates 100 days without a coronavirus community infection, its new car market tilts back into positive for the first time in almost a year (since September 2019) at +3.3% year-on-year to 12.263 units. This means the year-to-date tally is now down -24.7% to 65.825 units. SUV sales pull the entire market up at +22.6% to 6.350 units and 51.8% share vs. 43.6% a year ago while light commercials gain 5.1% to 3.577 and 29.2% share vs. 28.7% and passenger cars stumble -32.5% to 1.826 and 14.9% share vs. 22.8% in July 2019. Year-to-date, SUV volumes are off -15.7% to 31.785 and 48.3% share vs. 43.1% over the same period a year ago, LCVs are down -29.2% to 18.941 and 28.8% share vs. 30.6% and PCs sink -36% to 12.132 and 18.4% share vs. 21.7% in 2019.
Toyota (-24.5%) easily remains the most popular carmaker in the country at 18.1% share but endures the steepest fall in the second steepest fall in the Top 30 (!) partly due to the near-absence of rental sales. Ford (+19.8%) on the other hand surges ahead with the largest gain in the Top 5, while Mitsubishi (+9.7%) also vastly outpaces the market at #3. Below Mazda (-14.7%), soon-to-be discontinued Holden (-18%) still ranks at #5, resisting a lot better than in neighbouring Australia where it has slipped out of the Top 15. Volkswagen (+35.2%) and Kia (+22.9%) are the other two heroes in the Top 10, Hyundai (+3.5%) matches the market but Nissan (-15.5%) and Suzuki (-3.5%) drop. Spectacular gains are a lot more common outside the Top 10 with Land Rover (+121.8%), MG (+103.4%), LDV (+85.1%), Haval (+84%), Mahindra (+61.9%), BMW (+44%), Fiat (+36.4%), Peugeot (+32.8%), Volvo (+26.2%), Isuzu (+17.2%), Audi (+15%) and Mercedes (+14.9%) the most dynamic in the Top 35.
The Toyota RAV4 (+80.1%) is the best-selling vehicle in New Zealand in July (as it is in Australia) and for the second time in the past 3 months (and ever), distancing the Ford Ranger (+18.9%) and Toyota Hilux (+17.4%), all three models in exceptional shape. The Mitsubishi Triton (-15.1%) and Holden Colorado (+0.3%) ensure there are 4 pickups in the Top 5 like last month and year-to-date, with the Kia Sportage (+6%) and Mitsubishi ASX (+5.6%) in tow. Other great performers include the Mitsubishi Outlander (+49.7%), Honda HR-V (+41.7%), Hyundai Tucson (+24.8%), Toyota C-HR (#16) and Ford Escape (#17).
Previous month: New Zealand June 2020: Kia (+26%), Mercedes (+28%) buck market handicapped by no tourism (-17.2%)
One year ago: New Zealand July 2019: Toyota (+41.9%) can’t prevent third straight market fall (-3.3%)
Full July 2020 Top 65 All-brands and Top 25 models below.
