New-vehicle sales up 20.2%

There were 8,175 new passenger vehicles registered in May, which was up by 20.2 per cent from 6,801 units in the same month of last year.

Toyota’s RAV4 retained its spot as the leading model last month after selling 531 units and accounting for 6.5 per cent of the market. It attracted 663 registrations in May 2025.

The Tesla Model Y, pictured, was next after recording 415 sales – a substantial jump from 50 a year ago – and securing a 5.1 per cent market share.

Ford’s Everest was the third best-seller in May with 340 units and 4.2 per cent of the market. Its sales increased by 22.7 per cent from 277 a year ago.

Completing the top five was the Mitsubishi ASX, fourth on 282 units and 3.4 per cent, and Kia’s Sportage with 256 and 3.1 per cent.

The overall monthly tally was up 15.1 per cent from 7,104 registrations in April this year.

Year-to-date, there have been 41,460 sales, which is up by 14.2 per cent from 36,318 at the same stage a year ago.

The RAV4 is the best-selling model so far in 2026 with 2,398 sales and a 5.8 per cent market share. The ASX is second on 1,534 and 3.7 per cent.

Toyota topped the marques’ ladder in May with 1,468 registrations – up 11.9 per cent from 1,312 in the same month last year– and 18 per cent of the market. 

Kia was second with 666 sales and 8.1 per cent and Mitsubishi came third on 657 and eight per cent. 

In a boon for electric sales, Tesla and BYD were next on the ladder with 490 and 471 units respectively. Those two brands only managed 106 registrations between them in May 2025.

Toyota is the leading marque year-to-date with 6,972 registrations and a 16.8 per cent slice of the market.

Next is Mitsubishi with 3,629 registrations and 8.8 per cent, and Kia on 3,581 and 8.6 per cent.