Used imports hit two-year high

There were 12,959 used passenger vehicles imported last month, the highest total in two years as there was a surge in demand for vehicles ahead of changes to the clean car discount regime on July 1.

The figure is the largest since July 2021 when 13,728 units crossed our borders and was also up by 49.8 per cent from 8,649 in June of last year.

Imports of used passenger vehicles have now increased for three months in a row, after coming in at 8,775 in April and 11,035 in May. June’s tally represented a rise of 17.4 per cent from May’s total.

There have now been 56,665 units imported year-to-date, which is 12.3 per cent more than the 50,453 recorded at the halfway point of 2022.

Last month, 12,770 units were imported from Japan for a 98.5 per cent share of the market and 102, or 0.8 per cent, came in from Australia. 

Next up was the US with 25, Singapore with 20 and the UK with 17, according to the figures from Customs NZ. 

As for used light commercials, the 517 units that crossed the border in June was the highest number since December 2021 when the total reached 609.

This was up by 58.8 per cent from 327 in the same month of last year and a jump of 68.8 per cent from 310 in May.

It brought the year-to-date total to 2,107, which is 8.8 per cent higher than the 1,936 units over the same period of 2022.

New vehicles climb

When it comes to new passenger vehicles, the numbers brought into New Zealand also rose for the third consecutive month and reached 11,025 units. 

This was 37.5 per cent more than the 8,018 seen in May and also a 16.8 per cent climb from 9,439 in June last year.

The highest monthly tally of 2023 takes the year-to-date figure to 45,274, which is down 12.4 per cent from 51,688 over the same period a year ago.

Japan was the main country of export with 5,445 units followed by Thailand with 1,741 and South Korea on 1,366. Next up was Germany on 869, China with 646 and the US with 243.

For new light commercials, there were 2,711 units imported in June, an increase of 33.7 per cent when compared with 2,027 in the same month a year ago. It was also a rise of 86.2 per cent from the 1,456 units in May this year.

The year-to-date total after six months is now 13,659 units, only 0.2 per cent lower than 13,693 at the same stage of 2022.

Overall, 27,902 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in June. This was up from 21,552 in the previous month.