April’s new and used vehicle registration data shows a total of 9756 new vehicle registrations for the month with light commercials falling 72%.
It was the weakest April since 2015 (barring April 2020, which saw the introduction of New Zealand’s first COVID-19 lockdown).
But the Motor Industry Association (MIA) says the “crash” in light commercial vehicles should just be temporary. Sales of light commercial vehicles came in at just 730 units for the month
Chief executive David Crawford points out it is the first time in over a decade that a ute has not made it within the top three monthly registrations. The top selling ute for the month, the Ford Ranger, ended up sixth overall.
“It is anticipated sales of utes will gradually recover as the year progresses,” he says.
April’s low ute sales are attributable to dealers around the country pre-registering their stock prior to the introduction of the second round of Clean Car Discount measures, which included levies for high-emission vehicles.
As pre-registered stock begins to run dry, utes are tipped to return to their previous dominant market position.
Crawford states that a large percentage of the registrations in April could be attributed to hybrid vehicles now eligible for a discount. The RAV4, Jazz, and Swift are all available with some form of HEV powertrain, as are the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Ioniq, which ended the month eighth and ninth, respectively.
The MIA states that 2145 hybrids were registered in April, with the market led by the RAV4 (525 units), the Jazz (461), and the Corolla (198). It’s a welcome return to the pointy end of the market for the Jazz, which received a comprehensive makeover last year and gets one of the most significant rebates for any non-plug-in vehicle.
