New vehicle registrations in New Zealand rose strongly in May 2026, with the market climbing 18.1 per cent year-on-year or 11,296 units. This comes as the passenger vehicle segment demand continued to strengthen.
The result marked the fifth consecutive month of growth and pushed year-to-date registrations to 58,066 units, up 12.4 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
Electric vehicle (EV) brands were among the standout performers during the month, with Tesla and BYD both recording sharp increases after quieter results in 2025.
Passenger market posts strongest May since 2022
Passenger registrations reached 8,175 units in May, up 20 per cent from 6,815 units a year earlier.
Toyota remained the market leader with 1,468 passenger registrations, followed by Kia on 666 and Mitsubishi Motors on 657.
Tesla climbed into fourth position with 490 registrations, compared with just 56 in May last year, while BYD recorded 471 registrations, up from 51.
| Top Passenger Brands | May 2026 | YoY Change |
| Toyota | 1,468 | +11.8% |
| Kia | 666 | +8.8% |
| Mitsubishi | 657 | -12.3% |
| Tesla | 490 | +775% |
| BYD | 471 | +823.5% |
| MG | 454 | +33.1% |
| Ford | 390 | — |
| Suzuki | 369 | +10.1% |
| GWM | 343 | +35% |
The Tesla Model Y emerged as one of the month’s strongest-performing passenger models with 415 registrations, second only to the Toyota RAV4 on 531 units.
The BYD Atto 3 also returned to the top 15 passenger model rankings with 142 registrations.
Data from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) suggested the growth in EV demand continued to be supported by higher fuel prices and increased consumer interest in lower running-cost vehicles.
Chinese brands continued expanding their share of the market, accounting for 19.1 per cent of passenger registrations during May. Alongside BYD and GWM, brands including Chery and Dongfeng also posted strong results.
SUVs continue to dominate model rankings
SUVs remained the dominant force in the passenger market, with many of the country’s highest-selling vehicles coming from the medium and large SUV segments.
| Top Passenger Models | Registrations |
| Toyota RAV4 | 531 |
| Tesla Model Y | 415 |
| Ford Everest | 340 |
| Mitsubishi ASX | 282 |
| Kia Sportage | 256 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 241 |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | 211 |
| GWM Haval H6 | 191 |
| MG ZS | 167 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado | 165 |
Commercial market also records growth
The commercial vehicle segment also expanded in May, with registrations rising 13.4 per cent to 3,121 units.
Toyota led the segment with 997 registrations ahead of Ford Motor Company on 910.
The Ford Ranger remained the country’s top-selling commercial model with 809 registrations, followed by the Toyota HiLux on 776.
| Top Commercial Brands | May 2026 | YoY Change |
| Toyota | 997 | +19.3% |
| Ford | 910 | — |
| Mitsubishi | 322 | +20.1% |
| BYD | 157 | +101.3% |
| LDV | 45 | +36.4% |
Mitsubishi posted strong growth in the segment, supported by Triton registrations, while BYD continued building momentum in the commercial market through the Shark 6.
Kia’s newly launched Tasman also entered the top 10 commercial model rankings during its early market rollout.
| Top Commercial Models | Registrations |
| Ford Ranger | 809 |
| Toyota HiLux | 776 |
| Mitsubishi Triton | 322 |
| Toyota HiAce | 199 |
| BYD Shark 6 | 157 |
| Ford Transit | 96 |
| Isuzu D-Max | 79 |
| Kia Tasman | 50 |
Market momentum continues into second half of 2026
May’s result reinforced the stronger trajectory seen across the new vehicle market during the first half of 2026.
Growth in EV brands and Chinese manufacturers continued to reshape the competitive landscape, while SUVs and electrified models maintained strong consumer demand across both passenger and commercial segments.
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