New-car market grows by 12.2%

Registrations of new passenger vehicles came in at 9,038 last month, which was up by 12.2 per cent from the 8,052 achieved in January 2025.

January’s top new car was Toyota’s RAV4 with 641 units and a 7.1 per cent market share. However, its total was down 37.2 per cent from the 1,020 units sold in the same month a year ago. 

Mitsubishi’s ASX, pictured, was second last month on 492 sales, up by 51.9 per cent, and the marque’s Outlander took out third spot with 363 after a year-on-year rise of 68.8 per cent.

Next was the Kia Stonic on 354, up by 104.6 per cent, and Toyota’s Corolla Cross completed the top five with 334 sales after a jump of 173.8 per cent from a year ago.

Other notable year-on-year shifts were recorded by Toyota’s Yaris Cross, with its number of units sold rising from 65 to 284, and the Hyundai Tucson’s registrations climbing from 67 to 155. 

On the flipside, the Kia Seltos fell by 33 per cent to 242 sales and the Suzuki Swift dropped by 23.4 per cent to 190.

January’s top marque was Toyota with 1,868 registrations – up by 10.7 per cent and enough to give it a market share of 20.7 per cent.

Completing the top five for new cars was Mitsubishi on 1,070 – up by 60.9 per cent, Kia with 990 – a climb of 15.5 per cent, Ford on 441 – up 17.3 per cent, and Mazda with 420 – a rise of 27.3 per cent.

Some notable year-on-year market shifts were experienced by BYD, with sales up 113 per cent to 360, Jaecoo surging 74.6 per cent to 117 and Volvo climbing 60.5 per cent to 61.