Record new vehicle sales for November, with ute and SUV demand strong

Figures from the Motor Industry Association show that 16,327 new vehicles were sold in November, a 37.3 per cent increase on the same month a year ago. Photo / Warren Buckland

By RNZ

New vehicle sales set a new record for the month of November, following strong demand for utes and sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

Figures from the Motor Industry Association (MIA) show that 16,327 new vehicles were sold in November, a 37.3 per cent increase on the same month a year ago.

Vehicle registrations in the year to date are up by close to 40 per cent on last year, with a total of 153,362 registrations.

"The market remains buoyant despite stock levels remaining low. Recent shipments of new vehicles have helped to alleviate some of the long wait lists for popular models," MIA chief executive David Crawford said.

"Careful forward planning by distributors is reducing impacts of shipping constraints due to Covid-19 and microchip shortages, enabling a steady supply of new vehicles to the market. "

It was a strong month for passenger and SUV vehicles, with 11,233 sold.

Once again, the Ford Ranger was the most sought after vehicle in the country, followed by the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Toyota Corolla.

The electrically powered Tesla Model 3 was fifth on the list, with 408 cars sold.

Nearly 3000 cars were sold that had some form of electrification, with represents 17 per cent of all registrations for November.

Crawford said the Government's clean car discount had addressed some of the barriers to electric vehicle ownership by making the cars more affordable when compared to their fossil fuel-powered equivalents.

- RNZ