About Canstar's Most Satisfied Customers New Cars Award
Canstar's Most Satisfied Customers New Cars Award reveals the car brand that delivers the best consumer satisfaction to its customers.
We ask Kiwi car buyers to rate their satisfaction with their choice of car brand by Overall Satisfaction, as well as important criteria such as Point of Sale Service, After Sale Service and Value for Money.
Numbers crunched by Canstar's researchers:
- 882 Customers Surveyed
- 20 Brands Assessed
- 11 Brands Shortlisted
- 1 Award Winner
Read our methodology
Other cars rated in Canstar's Best Cars Award
The cars below are listed in order of their rankings in Canstar's Best Cars Award 2026:
2. Toyota
Toyota has long been a favourite on Kiwi roads, thanks to established models such as the Corolla and Camry.
Last year the car brand dominated the Top 10 list of best-selling cars: its RAV4 model was the No.1 selling car, while its Yaris Cross and Corolla models sat at No.6 and No.8, respectively.
Overall, nearly a quarter (23%) of all new passenger vehicles to hit our roads last year were Toyotas.
Toyota is best known for its dependable SUVs and 4WDs. These include the mid-range Yaris Cross, C-HR, Corolla Cross and RAV4 models, as well as the high-end Highlander and Land Cruiser.
Toyota's new passenger models are predominantly hybrid vehicles. It does retail one EV, the cryptically named bZ4X.
3. Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi's SUV range has grown over recent years to include the ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander, two of which feature in the top-10 list of NZ's best-selling cars for 2025: ASX (No.2) and Outlander (No.3).
Sitting atop Mitsubishi's family of vehicles, alongside the Outlander, the Pajero Sport is a large, luxury 4WD. And Mitsubishi's Triton remains popular with tradies, and the country's No.3 selling ute.
4. Honda
Honda's range of cars includes the Jazz, a small hatch/SUV, and the HR-V, ZR-V and CR-V SUVs, all of which are available in petrol and hybrid models.
Honda has also recently launched its first EV in NZ, the e:N1. And, of course, there's the iconic Civic, which is also available as the sporty Type R.
5. Kia
Kia sells a wide variety of vehicles, from the compact Stonic USV, through to the large Carnival people mover. Its flagship EV range includes the EV3 to EV6 models and the EV9, its top-of-the-range luxury SUV.
However, most of Kia's models are mid-range SUVs that offer true value and come packed with the latest tech and safety features. These vehicles include the Sorento, Niro, Sportage and Seltos models.
6. Nissan
Nissan's popularity lies in its medium to large SUV options. These include the Qashqai, X-Trail, Pathfinder, Patrol and X-Trail models.
For those who prefer speed over spaciousness, there is the two-seater Nissan Z. And let's not forget the Navara, the country's fourth most popular ute, which is available in single or twin cabs.
7. Mazda
Mazda is well known for its Mazda2 (small hatch) and Mazda3 (medium hatch/sedan), plus its iconic CX range of SUVs, which starts with the small CX-3 and expands through the medium CX-5, to the large CX-80 and CX-90 models.
Mazda's range includes hybrid models, the MX-5 roadster, and this year it is launching two EVs, the 6E and CX-6E.
8. Ford
Ford's Ranger has been the top-selling ute in New Zealand for the past two years, while its SUV, the Everest, is one of our most popular large SUVs.
Ford's smaller vehicles, the Escape and Puma are less popular, and last year its sporty Mustang Mach-E EV dropped out of the top-selling EV chart, after hitting the No.3 spot in 2024.
9. Hyundai
Hyundai's range of popular SUVs, the Santa FE, Tucson and Kona, are now all hybrids. Petrol-only models include Hyundai's compact SUV, the Venue, its i20N hot hatch and the Palisade Series 2 luxury SUV. For EV buyers, Hyundai offers the Ioniq 5N.
10. MG
The reborn MG marque has been a hit in NZ over the past few years, due to its competitive pricing. Last year the MG ZS was No.7 on the top-ten car list and overall MG was the seventh most popular car brand, securing 4% of the market.
MG's range includes hybrids, EVs and petrol-engine cars encompassing mainly SUVs.
SUV models include the HS, IM6, QS and ZS. Plus there's the MG3 small city car, the Cyberster roadster and the MGU9 ute.
11. BMW
In recent years, BMW has somewhat lost its crown of Teutonic auto excellence to Audi. However, BMW still sells a huge range of cars here in NZ, covering EV, hybrid, petrol and diesel models.
The main range spans the numbers 1 to 8, and covers mainly sedans and coupés. For NZ's favourite type of car, the SUV, you need to look to BMW's X Series. And if you want more speed and handling, BMW's M range of sporty vehicles delivers power and performance … at a price.
For EV buyers, BMW's X Series offers three models, plus there's the i7 sedan and the i4 Gran Coupé.
Other car brands
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn't mean they're not worth considering. Here are more popular brands to check out before buying a new car:
- Audi
- BYD
- Mercedes-Benz
- Skoda
- Subaru
- Tesla
- Volkswagen
Audi
Audi retails 32 models in New Zealand, including many electric and hybrid vehicles.
The A range includes sedans, sportback models plus performance Avant vehicles, including Audi's RS 6 Avant GT and Avant Performance. Audi's Q range offers spacious, luxurious SUVs.
BYD
Chinese car manufacturer BYD has quickly become one of NZ's most popular car companies. Last year, the BYD Atto 3 was No.2 on the top-10 list of NZ's best-selling EVs, behind the Tesla Model Y.
The range includes the BYD1 small city hatchback; the BYD2, BYD3 and Sealion 7 SUVs. Plus there's the Sealion 6 and the Shark 6 ute.
Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz range covers sedans, the E- and S-Class; SUVs across electric EQ vehicles and G-Class models; an A-Class hatch; and C-Class coupés and a cabriolet. There are also performance AMG models and luxurious Mercedes-Maybach options.
Skoda
Skodas used to be rare sights on NZ roads, but that's changed, in part due to the Czech automobile manufacturer, which is part of the Volkswagen group, replacing Holden as the NZ police's major car supplier.
Its hatch models include the Fabia and Scala, while its wagons include the Octavia and Superb. It has two smaller SUVs, the Kamiq and Karoq, plus the large Kodiaq. Skoda's two EVs are the Elroq and Enyaq.
Subaru
Subaru is famous for its all-wheel-drive vehicles: the compact Crosstrek, the mid-size Forester, and the larger Outback. Also for its iconic sporty models: the Impreza, WRX and new BRZ.
And while the Forester and Crosstrek are already available as hybrids, Subaru has a new EV in its range, the Solterra, which was designed in partnership with Toyota and the bZ4X.
Tesla
Tesla's sales, like those of all EVs, have slumped over the past two years. But Tesla is still New Zealand's most-loved EV brand.
The Model Y was the No.1 selling EV last year, and between the Model 3 and Model Y, Tesla secured a 23% share of the EV market. In comparison, BYD had a 17% share.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen sells a huge range of cars and trucks here in NZ. While its Golf and Polo models are iconic small city cars, its SUV range covers the luxury Touareg, compact T‑Roc, the popular Tiguan and larger Tayron, plus the EV ID4 and ID5 SUVs.
Volkswagen also sells a range of people movers, a California campervan and the Amarok ute.
Choosing the right new car for you
There are many things to consider when purchasing a new car, but our research highlights two main factors behind new car buyers' satisfaction levels with their vehicles: how the cars drive, and their reliability.
Most modern cars are pretty reliable. In return for regular servicing, we can expect well over a decade of worry-free motoring from most new cars. Although there are always horror stories about consumers experiencing repeated issues with brand new cars.
However, driving experiences do differ greatly between vehicles. And, of course, nowadays, how a car drives covers much more than just accelerating, braking and steering. It includes smart safety features, Bluetooth and phone connectivity, as well as high-tech entertainment and navigation systems.
Overall, Reliability of Vehicle is the No.1 concern for the majority of Kiwis in our survey (35%) when rating their new cars, placing slightly higher than Driving Experience (32%).
Here's the full rundown of what Kiwi drivers say are the main things they consider when rating their new car purchases. And it's interesting to note that Value for Money is not a prime consideration for most Kiwi new car buyers:
- Reliability of Vehicle: 35%
- Driving Experience: 32%
- Value for Money: 15%
- Point of Sale Service: 14%
- After Sale Service: 5%
