New Zealand Vehicles Market in 2015 hit a new all time record, the third in a row, improving sales by 6% and keeping its position of World’s 49th. The market leader was again Toyota with Ford Ranger best-selling model.
Economic Outlook
New Zealand’s economy accelerated in Q3 2015 and grew at the fastest rate since Q4 2014. However, growth remains relatively weak. The economy is slowly recovering from a significant slowdown that started at the end of 2014, as low commodity prices strained the key dairy industry and weighed on export growth.
Global dairy prices are expected to increase only modestly in 2016. However, renewed optimism at the end of 2015 casts hope of a rebound in 2016; business confidence jumped to an eight-month high in December and consumer confidence improved in Q4. Meanwhile, a mix of recent low inflation data, expectations of further rate cuts by the Central Bank (RBNZ) and weakening dairy prices have caused the NZD to lose ground against the USD in January and it is currently trading close to the all-time lows last seen in September 2015. The currency is not expected to recover in 2016.
Market Outlook
The fourth quarter of the year in New Zealand is traditionally heavy influenced by rental companies renewal plans and this was the case this year when the fleet market had sustained the market growth while consumer’s demand declined after a really strong pace scored during the rest of the year.
IN the Q4 market rose over 6% with the full year touching the base of a new all time record volume.
According to data released by M.I.A., the Motor Industry Association of New Zealand, total new light passengers vehicles sold in the 2015 had been 132.210, up 6.9% from the correspondent period last year, third annual record in a row and sixth annual increase in a row. Thanks to this performance the market kept its global ranking as the 49th.
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group and top 10 Models