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Used import sales jump

Posted on 05 March, 2015

Registrations of used imported passenger vehicles last month grew by 15 per cent when compared to February 2014. There were 10,573 registrations, which stacked up against 9,155 in the same month of last year. Looking at last month’s statistics, New Zealand’s top-selling model was Suzuki’s Swift on 581 units. It was followed by Mazda’s Axela on 474 and Demio on 426. The marque with the most registrations was Toyota on 2,414. Second place went to Nissan on 1,779 and it was followed by Mazda on 1,678. Read in-depth analysis of the figures – with stacks of quotes from car dealers and Turners – in the March 6 issue of Autofile magazine.

February – sales of used commercials

There were 659 used commercial vehicles sold nationally in February. This was an 11.3 per cent rise on the same period last year when 592 registrations were recorded. So far in 2015, the total is 1,303 units. Toyota was the number-one marque on 360 units with Nissan coming second on 132 and Mazda third with 34. The Toyota Hiace topped February’s ladder with 262 sales. It was followed by Nissan’s Caravan on 61 and Toyota’s Dyna with 31.

Different source for data

February’s vehicle registration reports statistics used in this story – and on pages 24 to 31 of the March 6 of Autofile magazine – have been sourced using different NZTA data to that normally accessed. The agency is currently undertaking staff training, which is delaying the data Autofile normally receives. That data includes an extra quality checking component before being released to the media. The different source may cause some variances. Because this data is live, it takes into account any changes to the fleet since the end of the month. For example, a vehicle registered in February but deregistered in March would still be included in the usual data source. However, this wouldn’t be included in statistics produced from the live-data source. The NZTA says the variances may not be significant overall. Any differences between the two sources will be reflected in tables published by Autofile magazine in its first April issue.