Toyota starts import programme

Toyota has entered the New Zealand import market with the launch of Toyota Certified Imports, an official programme which will source Toyota vehicles directly from Japan. “The launch of Toyota Certified Imports is a massive milestone for consumer choice and Kiwi motorists in the market for a reliable and affordable vehicle under $15,000,” said Andrew Davis, Toyota New Zealand’s general manager of used vehicles and marketing. Vehicles sold under the Toyota Certified Imports programme will be specially selected and inspected by Toyota New Zealand and the AA to ensure full compliance with New Zealand safety regulations. The cars will also have their odometers independently certified before refurbishment. Toyota New Zealand says prices will begin at $8,990, and all vehicles will be subject to their warranty programme. Toyota dominates the used vehicle market in New Zealand. In data collected for the year so far, the Japanese car maker has a 25.5 per cent market share of passenger vehicles and a 45.2 per cent share of commercial vehicles, totalling 7314 sales in January and February. Numerous companies in New Zealand have begun selling imported Japanese vehicles as demand for high-quality used cars reaches record highs, and New Zealand is now one of the largest markets in the world for used Japanese imports. Vehicle imports from Japan topped $2 billion in 2016, and Japanese cars made up 93 per cent of the 152,712 second-vehicles sold in New Zealand last year.