New Zealand vehicle imports: New arrivals fall as used car imports rise

New Zealand vehicle imports saw a shift in September, with new car arrivals decreasing while used car arrivals increased. According to provisional New Zealand Customs figures, total vehicle imports fell to 16,875 units from 17,763 in August.

New car imports dropped by 14.5% to 7,430 units, whereas used car arrivals rose by 9.1% to 7,357. Japan remains a primary supplier of new cars, while Thailand continues to be the leading source for new commercial vehicles, providing 969 units in September.

Truck and van imports also experienced a decline. New commercial vehicle arrivals fell to 1,658 units, a 15.2% decrease from August. Heavy new commercial vehicle imports (over 3,500kg) saw a sharp drop to 216 units, compared to 411 in August. Conversely, used truck and van imports rose to 364 units from 289 in the previous month.