New Zealand June 2021: Mitsubishi teases Toyota for #1 brand in market up 31.6%

Mitsubishi ASX sales are up 354% year-on-year in June.

New vehicle sales in New Zealand are up 31.6% year-on-year in June to 15.135 units, lifting the year-to-date tally up 58% to 84.598. The market is also up significantly on two years ago for the fourth consecutive month at +8.8% vs. 13.914 and also year-to-date at +11.9% vs. 75.597. In June, SUVs are up 44.8% year-on-year to 7.786 and 51.4% share vs. 46.8% a year ago, Light Commercials gain 17.4% to 4.263 and 28.2% share vs. 31.6% in June 2020 and Passenger Cars are up 24% to 2.486 and 16.4% share vs. 17.4% a year ago. Year-to-date, SUVs soar 73.2%  to 44.036 and 52% share vs. 47.5% over the same period in 2020, Light Commercials gain 55.9% to 23.948 and 28.3% share vs. 28.7% a year ago and Passenger Cars are up 29.5% to 13.365 and 15.8% share vs. 19.3% in 2020.

Toyota (+14.8%) only grows at half the pace of the market and sees its domination threatened by Mitsubishi (+144.1%) scoring the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 12 and ending the month only 0.2 points of share below Toyota at 14% vs. 14.2%. Ford (+46.5%) and Kia (+43.9%) also beat the market below. In fact, the entire Top 7 brands are unchanged on May and the Top 11 brands are identical to the year-to-date order. Among them, Isuzu (+84.7%), Suzuki (+61.5%) and Volkswagen (+46.2%) shine whereas Mazda (+15%), Hyundai (+17.7%), Honda (+22.2%) and Nissan (+27%) underperform. Below, Tesla (+226.5%) is up 8 spots on May to #17 with MG (+201.2%), LDV (+132.1%), Haval (+130.4%) and Land Rover (+117.5%) also in outstanding shape.

Model-wise, the Ford Ranger (+42.3%) cements its domination at 6% share, while the Mitsubishi ASX (+354%) delivers a surreal year-on-year gain to land in 2nd place overall, with 28.5% of its June volume being rental sales. The Toyota Hilux (+6.2%) vastly underperforms and is knocked down to third position. The Mitsubishi Triton (+45.9%) is up one spot on May to #4, distancing the Toyota RAV4 (+20.8%) weaker than the market this month. The Outlander (+158.2%) makes it three Mitsubishis in the June Top 6. The new Kia Stonic has now established itself in the Top 10, up one rank on last month to #7 with 25.3% of its June volume going to rentals. The Nissan Navara (+52.6%) posts a solid score at #8 while the Isuzu D-Max (+96.9%)is up 7 spots on May to #9. Notice also the Toyota Highlander up to #14 and the Tesla Model 3 up to #16.

Previous month: New Zealand May 2021: Market up 18.9% on two years ago, Mitsubishi, Nissan and VW shine

One year ago: New Zealand June 2020: Kia (+26%), Mercedes (+28%) buck market handicapped by no tourism (-17.2%)

Full June 2021 Top 65 All-brands and Top 20 models below.