New Zealand's changing new car market
What the registration numbers show about emerging competition between vehicle brands.
Updated: 1 September 2026
More vehicle makes than ever, and most of the new ones are Chinese
In June 2024, 54 brands sold a new light vehicle in New Zealand. By August 2026 the total had reached 67, and 20 of those were Chinese.
The number of Chinese makes has grown, and so has their share of new registrations.
The gains are coming from plug-in vehicles
Chinese brand growth has come predominantly from hybrid and electric vehicles. These brands now hold over half of the plug-in market.
Shifting origins of new vehicles
Japan remains the largest source at roughly 55%, while China has climbed from 5% to 19%.
Which brands are gaining?
Many brands gaining market share are relatively new, with some not even existing a year ago.
But most shares are getting smaller
More brands means more competition for market share, leaving each with a smaller slice of the pie.
Mar–Aug 2024
55,819 units registered
34 brands under 1% market share
34 of 54 brands had less than 1% market share each, 7.6% between them.
Mar–Aug 2026
70,602 units registered · +26.5%
45 brands under 1% market share
45 of 67 brands had less than 1% market share each, 10.7% between them.
So who holds the market?
The charts above are about movement. Below shows the market as it stands today, and its lengthening tail.
- Toyota22.9%-0.7pp
- Ford9.8%-2.3pp
- Mitsubishi8.5%-1.5pp
- Kia6.7%-0.3pp
- BYD5.5%+2.2pp
- GWM4.0%+1.1pp
- MG3.6%+0.5pp
- Tesla3.6%+2.2pp
- Suzuki3.3%-0.5pp
- Mazda2.8%-0.8pp
- Honda2.4%-0.3pp
- Hyundai2.3%-0.7pp
- Nissan2.0%-2.6pp
- Chery1.9%+1.6pp
- Subaru1.5%-0.5pp
- Jaecoo1.4%+0.7pp
- BMW1.3%-0.1pp
- Dongfeng1.2%NEW
- Volkswagen1.2%-0.3pp
- Audi1.1%+0.1pp
- Mercedes-Benz1.1%-0.2pp
- Lexus1.0%-0.2pp
- Land Rover0.9%no change
- Geely0.9%+0.8pp
- Isuzu0.9%+0.2pp
- MINI0.7%-0.1pp
- BAIC0.7%NEW
- Leapmotor0.5%+0.3pp
- Skoda0.5%-0.3pp
- Zeekr0.5%NEW
- GAC0.5%NEW
- Omoda0.5%-0.2pp
- Volvo0.4%no change
- LDV0.4%-0.5pp
- Denza0.4%NEW
- Porsche0.4%no change
- Mahindra0.3%+0.1pp
- Cupra0.3%no change
- Peugeot0.2%-0.2pp
- XPeng0.2%NEW
- Forthing0.2%+0.2pp
- Farizon0.2%+0.2pp
- Fiat0.2%+0.1pp
- JAC0.1%no change
- Chevrolet0.1%no change
- Polestar0.1%-0.4pp
- RAM0.1%-0.1pp
- KGM0.1%-0.3pp
- Jeep0.1%-0.1pp
- Renault0.1%-0.1pp
- Foton0.0%NEW
- Cadillac0.0%no change
- Smart0.0%no change
- Aston Martin0.0%no change
- Ferrari0.0%no change
- GMC0.0%no change
- Arcfox0.0%NEW
- Maserati0.0%no change
- Bentley0.0%no change
- Ineos0.0%no change
- Lamborghini0.0%no change
- Iveco0.0%no change
- Jaguar0.0%-0.1pp
- Rolls-Royce0.0%no change
- Lotus0.0%no change
- Mclaren0.0%no change
- Alfa Romeo0.0%-0.1pp
Why market share percentage points? A brand going from 1,000 units to 1,100 units only increases it's position if the market is standing still. If the overall market grew by 10% then the brand is maintaining position.
Number of units cannot tell the story alone, only market share percentage gains/losses can do this.
Why 3, 6, or 12 month windows? The NZ new car market has significant swings month-to-month. Supply volatility, or new model releases, make a monthly snapshot a poor predictor of trend. Longer windows point to potential shifts in the market.
Comparisons are always year-on-year: Measuring trends Y-on-Y is the only way to account for seasonality in the market. Market share for the past 6 months is compared to the same 6 months a year ago, and so on.