Mixed fortunes for imports
There were 7,857 used passenger vehicles imported last month, a fall of 7.7 per cent from May when 8,517 units crossed our borders.
June’s total was only down by 0.2 per cent from 7,875 units in the same month a year ago.
The year-to-date total for 2025 is now 42,170. This is 18 per cent lower than the 51,423 achieved at the same time last year, according to figures from Customs NZ.
Last month, 7,668 units were imported from Japan for a 97.6 per cent share of the market. Australia was next with 138 units, followed by Singapore on 16 and the UK with 13.
As for used light commercials, 294 crossed the border in June to bring the year-to-date total to 1,083. That total is down by 46.7 per cent from 2,031 at the same time last year.
Last month’s figure – the highest of the year – was up by 44.1 per cent from the 204 units imported in May and a rise of 3.5 per cent from 284 in June 2024.
Month-on-month resurgence
As for new passenger vehicles, there were 8,391 units brought into New Zealand last month.
June’s tally means 38,909 vehicles have come in so far in 2025, which is down 8.7 per cent from the 42,630 units for the same period a year ago.
However, last month’s figure was up by 45.7 per cent from May this year when the total was 5,760 new cars.
It was also 4.8 per cent higher than the 8,006 units imported in June 2024.
Japan was the main country of export with 3,160 units, followed by Thailand with 1,386, South Korea on 1,115, China with 1,030 and Belgium on 427.
For new light commercials, there were 2,910 units imported in June. This was up 142.7 per cent from 1,199 in May this year and the second-highest monthly tally so far in 2025.
The June total was also a 71.4 per cent increase from 1,698 units in the same month last year.
It took the year-to-date figure to 13,342 units, which is 23.7 per cent more than the 10,783 recorded over the same period a year ago.
Overall, 20,008 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in June. This was up from 16,021 in the previous month.
