(Updated with data for used imports in March.)
According to the latest vehicle sales data out for March, 29% of all new car sales were for SUVs.
In fact, this is the largest segment in the New Zealand car market.
12% (12% for the year to March) of cars sold are classed as light.
19% (21%) are classed as small.
6% (6%) are classed as medium sized, and 3% (4%) are classed as large.
Another 20% (18%) were classed as pickups.
Most of the balance were other commercial types.
Toyota was the passenger car market leader for the month of March with 13% share (1049 units), with Hyundai second on 10% (774 units) and Holden third with 10% (764 units).
The Toyota Corolla remains the top selling passenger model with 5% market share (408 units), followed by the Suzuki Swift on 4% (287 units) and the Holden Commodore at 3% (245 units). The Mitsubishi Outlander and Mazda 3 were the next best-selling models, also with 3% each of market share.
The Ford Ranger was the top selling commercial model for March with 550 units sold (17% market share). The Toyota Hilux was the second best seller with 16% market share (505 units).
March also saw a substantial increase in the registration of used imported cars. They rose to 10,247 in the month, their highest level since August 2007. 106,000 used imports have arrived in the past year, a level not seen in over five years.
70% of all used imported cars were by Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and Honda, in that order.
Used car sales data for March will be released in a few days, but to February they weren't growing as fast as new car sales.
New vehicles sold
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19 Comments
SUVs are not the largest segment. Regular passenger vehicles at 41% is much bigger than SUVs at 29%.
SUVs also come in small, medium and large. To have a meaningful comparison you need to categories SUVs by small medium and large, or not categorise passenger vehicles by small medium and large.
Interesting that SUV's were a large segment but scarcely surprising: the recent earthquakes showed that having 4WD's, SUV's etc was a necessary response to the situations.
The first calls made when the power went out and the water and sewer went off, were to the 4WD clubs, to ferry the packed lunches to the rescuers, range for damage assessments, and generally Get Around. And the subsequent rebuild explains the light commercial segment: I doubt if Christchurch can fit in one more double-cab welldeck 4WD.
Small cars, Prius (what Is the plural of Prius, anyhoo?) and cargo bicycles all proved utterly useless in these events.
Now, Horses, especially the semi-draught breeds - They would have been useful too. Not many factories produce them, nowadays....
Buying 4wds en mass for what should be a rare event, (one in 350 years?) makes little sense. Especially given their environmental impact and energy consumption.
On top of that how many non-4WD clubers could safely and adequately handle a 4wd "off road?" Takes some training and/or experience to drive a 4wd off road, I mean really off road....across ditches etc, otherwise a shiny is just going to get dropped down a hole and stay there.
regards
Not quite. The only reliable way to get to family and friends on that fateful day in Christchurch was by bike or on foot. SUVs, FWDs, Priiiiiiii – mostly abandoned roadside and in some cases mid road, for days. Loads of people walked from the CBD to the outer suburbs, including over the Port Hills.
A good mountain bike was the best form of transport for days afterwards. Driving simply wasn’t an option on the east side of town. Even the Aussie cops "borrowed" mountain bikes for their transport.
SUV is not synonomous with Four Wheel drive. A significant chunk of the SUVs are two wheel drive only and only meant for on road driving. Usually seal, but will do gravel.
Simple thing is that if you want a larger vehicle, then an SUV shape is useful compared to the large car like the commodore or falcon of old. Better driving position, more useful spaces. Personally I just prefer the upright seating.
As for Toorak tractors descriptions etc. Have you experience of the baby seat and child car seats these days. The things grow in size every year and just about need their own vehicle for each. You will see many 2WD SUV used only in the city. And why not.
The figures need to be broken into the catagories. There are the full 4WDs as well. And also many welldeck "trucks", because they are cheap. And despite size more of these are only 2WD as well.
But th
I just don't understand how anyone can afford the running costs on the damn things. I rented a Toyota Highlander over Xmas and it cost 200 bucks to fill the tank with petrol - 91 thank goodness so a little cheaper than 95.
However having driven it, though I do understand the appeal for the size, using a Car seat and also in particular my frame being 6'4"; it is a dream to get in and out of comapred to my old Toyota Corrolla hatch.
Having the largest & most dangerous vehicles on the road, driven by the worst drivers (see yesterday - http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/videos/9900018/Train-pins-SUV-that-evad… - & ironic the advert they link to it!) is crazy.
It is encouraged by NZ's daft laws. One of the lowest petrol prices in the OECD, as the result of ridiculously low petrol tax. Plus the rego is the same for an 800 cc Daihatsu as for a 5 litre SUV - unlike in civilised countries, where the rego goes up with the vehicles that cause the most road costs.
Particularly insane when you consider NZ's chronic current account deficit (4% last time I looked) - hey, lets encourage the importation of more expensive vehicles & petrol we can't afford!
... until you see the state of our roads, on which the petrol tax would be spent. Somewhere else someone suggested that you need SUV for our roads. So... you need an SUV to travel on the roads which are run down because of the low petrol tax encouraging people to buy more SUVs. A vicious circle.
Well, to add to the wails of woe, there's a plug-in-hybrid Outlander just being advertised.
And a quick look at Geonet History should convince anyone that the 1-in-x years events are in fact par for the course, living as we all do on a plate boundary. And when did Rangitoto last blow?
I think the Precautionary Principle should apply, meself. Especially on Frivolous Fridays.
So what's it like living life under a table, waiting for the next catastrophe to strike?
Do your family tire of always going to your place to visit and you never going to them because there could be a volcanic eruption and you might die if a rock get blasted your way and your not safe under your table?
Total cost of ownership...twice that of other countries....at least.
Never worked out why?.
Hybrids, versus longevity of a 1990 Corolla...classic.
Especially if ya do not need one. A bottom less pit. The new battery will cost more than an arm and a leg.
Diesel over petrol, payback...almost never.
Even a lying "Car Salesman", cannot argue with that.
Prius's haven't yet needed battery replacements (though they are not as old as a 1990 corolla, not that there are many of those left on the road).
Diesel over petrol, payback.... you don't have to drive far for 5l/100k vs 8l/100km to pay back the 2K extra a diesel costs, and even less difference if any second hand.
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