Value of vehicle imports falls

The value of imported vehicles, parts and accessories came in at $653 million in February, down $152m or 19 per cent from the same month a year ago, according to new figures from Stats NZ.

This was driven by vehicles for the transport of goods coming into the country slipping $90m, or 40 per cent, and the value of imported passenger cars falling $57m, or 13 per cent, over the same period.

Stats NZ notes the largest fall for imports from the EU last month was vehicles, parts and accessories after they tumbled $74m from a year ago. 

Meanwhile, the value for those same commodities from Australia was down by $13m but those from China increased by $22m.

The overall drop for the category last month came despite the total value for all merchandise goods imports climbing by $125m, or 2.1 per cent, year-on-year to $6.2 billion.

Exports for February 2025 were also up by $954m, or 16 per cent, to reach $6.7b. This meant the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $510m.

The latest overseas merchandise trade figures from Stats NZ also reveals vehicles, parts and accessories recorded a decrease in value for the three months ended

February 2025, dropping 13.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier to hit $1.96b.

For the year to the end of February, automotive commodities slipped 23.9 per cent from a year earlier to $8.47b.