Used imports slump

There were 5,118 used passenger vehicles imported last month, the lowest total so far this year and a 40.6 per cent drop from 8,611 units in August.

The monthly figure was also 44.1 per cent lower than in September 2021 when 9,155 units crossed our borders.

The total for 2022 is now 70,688 – down from 101,100 and by 30.1 per cent compared with this time last year. 

Last month, 4,829 units were imported from Japan for a 94.4 per cent share of the market and 204 came in from Australia. 

Next up was Singapore on 32, the UK with 22 and the US on 16 according to the figures from Customs NZ. 

As for used light commercials, 201 crossed the border in September to bring the year-to-date total to 2,925. That figure is down by 14.5 per cent from 3,421 by the same time last year.

Last month’s figure – the lowest tally in 2022 – was a drop of 46.5 per cent from the 376 units in September 2021. It was also 60 per cent less than the 503 light commercials brought in during August this year.

New vehicles rise

When it comes to new passenger vehicles, there were 11,422 brought into New Zealand last month. It was the highest monthly figure since October last year when 12,086 units crossed our borders.

September’s tally means 82,488 vehicles have come in so far in 2022, which is a decrease of 5.7 per cent on the 87,470 units over the same period a year ago.

Last month’s figure was up 30.9 per cent from September 2021 when it only reached 8,725 new cars. It also represented a 14.4 per cent increase from August this year when there were 9,981 units.

Japan was the main country of export with 5,710 units followed by China with 1,667. Next up was Korea on 1,117, Thailand with 845, Belgium with 756, Germany on 370 and Spain with 360.

For new light commercials, there were 3,280 units imported in September, an increase of 23.8 per cent from 2,649 in the same month a year ago.

However, it was a drop of 23.8 per cent from the 4,302 units in August this year.

It took the year-to-date total to 23,713 units, down 17.4 per cent from 28,723 after the first nine months of last year.

Overall, 20,779 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in September. This was down from 24,118 in the previous month.