January 2020 new vehicle registrations in New Zealand were down 6.2% year on year with 13,078 new vehicles registered, according to the Motor Industry Association (MIA).
 
"As expected, the new year has continued the downward trend set during 2019. Expectation for the 2020 year is about four to five percent down on 2019, with January coming in a bit softer than anticipated, MIA CEO David Crawford said.

Sales of pure electric vehicles, which rose last year, were softer with 140 units sold in January along with 88 PHEVs (up slightly) and 647 hybrids. 

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Registration of 9,099 passenger vehicles and SUVs were down 8.5% year on year.

Commercial vehicle registrations were down for a fourth consecutive month to 3,979, though off just 0.4% year on year.

The top selling models in January were the Ford Ranger (885 units), Toyota RAV4 (569) and Toyota Hilux (473).

Toyota started the new decade as it finished the last as the overall market leader with 15% market share (1,903 units) last month followed by Ford (12%, 1,534) and Kia (7%, 964). 

Toyota also topped passenger and SUV registrations with 13% (1,220) followed by Kia 11%, 964) and Mazda (7%, 674 ).

The top selling passenger and SUV models were the RAV4 (569), Kia Seltos (430) and Suzuki Swift (289).

CVs

After swapping back and forth with Toyota all 2019, and sure to do so in 2020, Ford regained Kiwi CV market lead with a 26% share (1,024 units) followed by its arch-rival (17%, 683) and GM's Holden (10%, 381).

After trading places with Toyota's Hilux all last year, Ford's Ranger started the year (as it finished in 2019) in the top spot with a 22% share (885 units), trailed by the Toyota with (12%, 473) and Holden Colorado (9%, 373). 

Smaller vehicles dominate January

The top three segments in January 2020 were again SUV medium vehicles (19%) followed by SUV Compact (19%) and Pick Up/Chassis 4×4 (14%).

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