New vehicle sales in New Zealand held strong in July 2025, with 11,671 new registrations reported. This almost matches the 11,862 new vehicles sold in June. While light passenger vehicle sales dipped slightly, the strength of the commercial vehicle segments helped steady the market.
The latest figures from the Motor Industry Association (MIA) show the market is maintaining the momentum gained in June, which saw a 26 per cent increase over May.
Year-on-year comparisons also show progress. July’s total is 23.8 per cent higher than July 2024, which recorded 9,419 new vehicle sales.
“It’s a sign that there may be some early signs of confidence returning to the new vehicle market,” said MIA Chief Executive Aimee Wiley.
“But it’s probably too soon to break out the champagne just yet.”
Commercial Sales Offset Passenger Dip
Sales of light passenger vehicles, including SUVs, reached 7,635 in July, slightly down from June’s 8,245.
However, this was offset by growth in the commercial sector. Light commercial vehicles rose to 3,532, up from 3,204 in June. Meanwhile, heavy commercial vehicles increased to 504, compared to 413 in June
All three categories also showed gains when compared to July 2024, especially light commercial vehicles, which jumped from 2,500 last year to 3,532 this year.
Toyota and Mitsubishi Lead the Charts
In the light passenger segment, the Toyota RAV4 remained the top seller with 602 registrations. It was followed by a new entrant, the Suzuki Fronx with 347, and the Mitsubishi Outlander with 307. Meanwhile, Tesla’s Model Y dropped significantly from 407 in June to just 103 in July.
There was also a shake-up in the light commercial vehicle rankings. The Toyota Hilux edged ahead of the Ford Ranger for the month, with 868 sales vs. 838. The Nissan Navara (416) and Mitsubishi Triton (276) followed while BYD dropped to fifth place with 256 sales, down from 413 in June.
EV Sales Decline, Hybrids Climb
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) slowed in July, with just 638 units registered, compared to 1,073 in June. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) also dropped to 749, down from 912.
In contrast, non-plug-in hybrid vehicles continued to grow, reaching 3,434 registrations, up from 3,152 the previous month — reflecting a steady shift in consumer preference towards hybrids amid ongoing interest in fuel-efficient options.
While July’s figures don’t match June’s high, the market appears to be stabilising after a challenging 18 months. Compared to July 2022, July 2025 saw a 4.9 per cent increase in registrations, offering a more accurate long-term view than the anomaly of July 2023’s CCD policy drop.
The MIA says it will take several more months of consistent performance before a clear recovery trend is confirmed but for now, the signs are pointing in the right direction.
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