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News - NZ sales - NZ Sales 2025NZ Sales: Hybrids drive a strong SeptemberMarket jumps 28pc as petrol-electric vehicles hit record high while BEV sales slide6 Oct 2025 By MATT BROGAN NEW Zealand new-vehicle sales surged in September with 14,000 new registrations, representing a 28 per cent increase on August and positioning the market for a stronger finish to 2025 than many had predicted.
The September result also marked a 19.1 per cent increase on the same month last year and pushed year-to-date sales to 100,795 units, up 7.5 per cent on the 93,804 vehicles sold through the first nine months of 2024.
Light passenger vehicles – which include cars and SUVs in NZ market data – were the primary driver of growth with 10,364 registrations, up from 8090 in August and representing 74 per cent of total market sales.
The New Zealand Motor Industry Association (MIA) said September's result offered genuine cause for optimism despite ongoing economic pressures.
"After a tough 18 months through 2024 and into the middle of this year, we have seen a sustained improvement in sales since June, so there are cautious hopes building among our members for better times ahead," said MIA chief executive Aimee Wiley.
The Toyota RAV4 maintained its position as New Zealand's best-selling vehicle with 1281 registrations in September, capturing 12.4 per cent of the passenger and SUV segment.
Placing second was the Mitsubishi Outlander with 810 sales, while another Mitsubishi – the ASX – took third spot with 805 registrations.
Toyota claimed 3601 sales across all categories and a commanding 26 per cent market share. Mitsubishi secured second place with 2097 sales and 15 per cent share, while Ford rounded out the top three with 1371 sales and 10 per cent of the market.
September's data also represented the diverging fortunes of electrified powertrains, with hybrids surging while battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales continued their decline.
Hybrids recorded 3922 registrations in September, up 19 per cent on the 3300 units sold in September 2024 and capturing 31.2 per cent of the total market. Year-to-date hybrid sales reached 29,034 units, a 23 per cent increase on 2024's figure for 28.8 per cent of all new-vehicle sales.
By contrast, BEVs amassed just 608 deliveries in September – down 30 per cent on the 868 sold in September last year. The Tesla Model Y led BEV sales with 190 registrations, followed by the BYD Sealion 7 with 42 units and the Tesla Model 3 with 39 sales.
Plug-in hybrid sales remained relatively flat at 389 units compared with 417 in September 2024, though year-to-date PHEV registrations showed significant growth at 4970 units – more than double the 2058 sold through September 2024.
The emergence of plug-in hybrid utes represents one of the year's most significant market developments, with the BYD Shark 6 recording 80 sales in September, contributing to 1690 PHEV utes sold YTD, accounting for 6.5 per cent of the light commercial market – a segment that recorded zero PHEV sales in 2024.
Light commercial vehicle sales held steady at 3078 registrations in September, up marginally from 3043 in August and representing a 19.3 per cent increase on September 2024's result of 2580 units.
The Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux continued their long-running battle for ute supremacy, with the Ranger claiming 827 sales to the HiLux's 769 registrations. The Mitsubishi Triton placed third with 342 sales, while the Toyota HiAce van recorded 233 registrations.
Year-to-date light commercial sales showed a marginal one per cent decline to 26,010 units compared with 26,276 over the same period in 2024, suggesting slight softness in the commercial sector despite September's solid result.
Heavy commercial vehicle sales retreated in September with 558 registrations, down from 606 in August and seven per cent lower than September 2024's tally of 600 units.
Year-to-date heavy commercial sales painted an even weaker picture at 4142 units, down 27.9 per cent on 2024's 5748 registrations.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter led the heavy commercial segment with 62 sales, followed by the LDV Deliver 9 with 50 registrations and the Iveco Daily with 41 units.
Analysis of buyer types revealed rental fleets accounted for an unusually high 34.4 per cent of passenger vehicle sales in September with 3563 registrations, while business buyers dominated the light commercial segment with 75.7 per cent share.
Medium SUVs remained New Zealand's largest vehicle segment with 3906 sales and a 27.9 per cent market share in September, ahead of the compact SUV category with 3235 registrations and a 23.1 per cent share.
September 2025 – Top 10 brands (all categories):
September 2025 – Top 10 models (passenger and SUV):
September 2025 – Top 10 models (light commercial):
All figures courtesy of NZ MIA  Read more4th of September 2025  NZ Sales: Positive sales continue in AugustKiwi new car sales continue positive trend, with 11,739 units registered in August6th of August 2025  NZ Sales: Utes drive solid July performanceToyota HiLux, Ford Ranger dominate the leaderboard ahead of Toyota RAV4, Suzuki Fronx |
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