Used imports on the up

There were 7,989 used passenger vehicles imported last month, a jump of 30.7 per cent from May when 6,111 units crossed our borders.

However, June’s figure was down by 38.1 per cent from 12,900 in the same month of 2023.

The year-to-date total for 2024 is now 51,665 – down 8.6 per cent compared with 56,518 at the same time last year, according to the figures from Customs NZ. 

Last month, 7,858 units were imported from Japan for a 98.4 per cent share of the market. Australia placed second with 84 units, the US and the UK were next on 15 each, and Singapore followed with 12. 

As for used light commercials, 286 crossed the border in June to bring the year-to-date total to 2,031. That figure is down by 3.2 per cent from 2,099 by the same time last year.

Last month’s figure was up 27.1 per cent from the 225 units in May this year but down 44 per cent from 511 in the same month of 2023.

New vehicles

As for new passenger vehicles, there were 8,079 brought into New Zealand last month. 

June’s tally means 42,764 vehicles have come in so far in 2024, which is a decrease of 4.2 per cent on the 44,637 units over the same period a year ago.

Last month’s figure was up 3.5 per cent from May when the monthly total was 7,808 new cars, but it was a drop of 24.7 per cent drop from June 2023 when there were 10,725 units.

Japan was the main country of export with 2,873 units followed by Thailand with 1,219. Next up was South Korea on 806, China with 731, Beligum with 650, the UK on 505 and Germany with 402.

For new light commercials, there were 1,645 units imported in June, a fall of 39.3 per cent from 2,711 in the same month a year ago.

The total was also down 10 per cent from the 1,828 units in May this year.

It took the year-to-date figure to 10,697 units, which is 20 per cent fewer than the 13,373 recorded in the first half of 2023.

Overall, 18,504 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in May. This was up from 16,479 in the previous month.