Used import numbers growing
There were 11,638 used passenger vehicles imported into New Zealand in April, marking two consecutive months of growth for the sector and the highest monthly tally so far this year.
The total was up 9.8 per cent from the 10,604 units that crossed our borders in March this year, according to new figures from Customs NZ.
It also took the year-to-date tally to 37,850 vehicles, which was 15.9 per cent higher than the 32,664 units that had been imported during the same period of 2023.
April’s performance was also 32.7 per cent higher than the same month of last year when 8,768 used cars were imported.
Last month’s total included 11,411 cars coming from Japan, which claimed a market share of 98.1 per cent.
Next was Australia with 164 units and a 1.4 per cent share. Singapore claimed third place with 20 and was followed by the US on 17 and the UK with 14.
As for used light commercials, there were 462 imports in April – an increase of 24.2 per cent from 372 units a year ago.
Last month’s figure was also up 12.4 cent when compared with the 411 units imported in March.
The year-to-date total now stands at 1,539, which is 261 units or 20.4 per cent more than the 1,278 seen during the same period of last year.
New imports
There were 6,233 new passenger vehicles imported in April, which represented a 19.6 per cent increase from the 6,045 units in the same month of last year.
However, last month’s figure was down 30.6 per cent from March when 8,978 new cars crossed our borders.
Japan was the top source of new vehicles, accounting for 3,143 units, with Thailand second on 1,019. China, South Korea and the UK were next on the list with 458, 440 and 259 units, respectively.
The year-to-date total has now climbed to 27,104, an increase of 4.6 per cent from the 25,917 recorded at the same stage a year ago.
For new light commercials, there were 1,986 units imported in April, a climb of 38.4 per cent from 1,435 in the same month of last year and up 11.3 per cent from 1,784 in March.
The year-to-date tally stood at 7,232 at the end of April, which was down 23.5 per cent from the 9,456 units imported during the same period of 2023.
Overall, 20,823 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in April, which was up from 22,130 the previous month.
