Top selling cars in New Zealand
According to the most recent government statistics, from 2013 to 2024, the number of cars, utes and motorbikes on our roads grew by a third, from around 3.4m to 4.5m.
However, over the past five years, our appetite for new passenger vehicles has wavered. Due to the tighter economic climate, in 2024 cars sales were down considerably, by around 21%, year on year. However, last year they rebounded by 12%.
- 2021: 112,008 cars
- 2022: 116,334 cars
- 2023: 110,488 cars
- 2024: 87,410 cars
- 2025: 97,972 cars
- 2026 (Jan-Feb): 16,153 cars
Top selling car models New Zealand
The top five best-selling cars in 2022 and 2023 were the same: the RAV4, Outlander, Model Y, Swift and Eclipse Cross.
However, over the past couple of years, there's been a bit of a shake-up at the top. The Eclipse Cross, which sold 1030 last year, has been usurped by its little brother, the ASX, and the once popular Model Y dropped out of the top 15 altogether.
In 2025, there were 1284 new Tesla Model Ys registered in the country, placing it 17th on the best-seller list.
Rank | Top Selling Cars 2025 | Top Selling Cars 2026 |
|---|---|---|
1 | Toyota RAV4 (11,295) | Toyota RAV4 (1008) |
2 | Mitsubishi ASX (4970) | Mitsubishi ASX (800) |
3 | Mitsubishi Outlander (4309) | Ford Everest (570) |
4 | Ford Everest (3323) | Mitsubishi Outlander (506) |
5 | Kia Seltos (3189) | Toyota Corolla Cross (484) |
6 | Toyota Yaris Cross (2018) | Kia Seltos (473) |
7 | MG ZS (1971) | Kia Stonic (467) |
8 | Toyota Corolla (1953) | Hyundai Tucson (447) |
9 | Hyundai Tucson (1841) | Toyota Yaris Cross (415) |
10 | Suzuki Swift (1825) | Kia Sportage (315) |
11 | GWM Haval H6 (1815) | Mazda CX-5 (281) |
12 | Toyota Landcruiser Prado (1668) | GWM Haval H6 (225) |
13 | Mazda CX-5 (1609) | Suzuki Jimny (223) |
14 | Toyota Corolla Cross (1476) | Toyota Corolla (222) |
15 | Kia Sportage (1360) | Suzuki Swift (205) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
Petrol vs hybrid & EV sales
Between 2022 and 2023, pure EV models increased their market share from 10% to 14.5%. However, it's clear the end of the EV subsidies has had a big effect. While hybrid sales remain strong, new EV numbers have plummeted over the past two years. Just 7% of vehicles sold last year were EVs.
Plug-in hybrids, which are now subject to road user charges, are also out of favour. Just 4658 plug-in hybrids were registered in NZ last year, while non plug-in hybrid sales matched those of petrol vehicles.
Sales by Engine Type 2025 | Sales by Engine Type 2026 |
|---|---|
40% Petrol | 41% Petrol |
40% Non plug-in hybrid | 36% Non plug-in hybrid |
8% Diesel | 8% Diesel |
7% EV | 8% EV |
5% Plug-in hybrid | 7% Plug-in hybrid |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
So far this year, sales by engine type:
Petrol: 41% (6581 sales)
Top models include:
- Mitsubishi ASX (800)
- Mitsubishi Outlander (506)
- Kia Seltos (473)
Non plug-in hybrids: 36% (5711 sales)
Top models include
- Toyota RAV4 (1008)
- Toyota Corolla Cross (484)
- Toyota Yaris Cross (415)
EVs: 8% (1359 sales)
Top models include:
- BYD Atto 1 (130)
- MG ZS (111)
- BYD Atto 2 (109)
Diesel: 8% (1303 sales)
Top models include
- Ford Everest (570)
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (99)
- Isuzu MU-X (74)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle: 7% (1199 sales)
Top models include:
- BYD Sealion 5 (126)
- BYD Sealion 6 (125)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (116)
Top selling EV models
As we mention above, EV sales have dropped considerably over the past couple of years:
- 2023: 21,032 EVs
- 2024: 6341 EVs
- 2025: 6871 EVs
- 2026 (Jan-Feb): 1359 cars
However, despite many new models hitting the market, Tesla remained the country's most popular EV last year.
After a sluggish start to the year, Tesla hit the top of the EV charts thanks to the popularity of its new and improved Model Y.
Over 2025, 1284 of the new-look Model Ys were registered. Combined with the 308 Model 3s that arrived in the country, it gave Tesla a 23% share of the EV market, beating BYD's 17% share.
And it's worth noting that BYD had four passenger car models – the Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal and Sealion – to Tesla's two: Model 3 and Model Y.
Rank | Top Selling EVs 2025 | Top Selling EVs 2026 |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tesla Model Y (1284) | BYD Atto 1 (130) |
2 | BYD Atto 3 (555) | MG ZS (111) |
3 | Polestar 2 (354) | BYD Atto 2 (109) |
4 | BYD Sealion 7 (337) | Zeekr 7X (88) |
5 | Tesla Model 3 (308) | Kia EV5 (71) |
6 | Kia EV5 (276) | Kia EV3 (65) |
7 | Kia EV3 (255) | BYD Sealion 7 (61) |
8 | BYD Dolphin (221) | BYD Atto 3 (48) |
9 | Toyota BZ4X (192) | Honda e:N1 (42) |
10 | BMW i (176) | Volkswagen ID.4 (41) |
11 | Honda e:N1 (171) | Tesla Model Y (33) |
12 | Mini Countryman (151) | Tesla Model 3 (32) |
13 | Omoda E5 (128) | Geely EX5 (31) |
14 | Geely EX5 | Mini Aceman (111) | Toyota BZ4X (30) |
15 | Volvo EX30 (109) | Dongfeng Vigo (27) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
New Zealand’s favourite passenger car brands
Japanese brands have long been the top selling cars in NZ, especially if you count commercial vehicles. But even without ute sales, Toyota and Mitsubishi comprise a third of the passenger car market.
However, while Japanese brands hold a large share of the overall market, Korea's Kia and Hyundai are also big players in the passenger sector. But it's the upstart brands of GWM and MG that have made the biggest inroads into the top car charts over the past two years.
New passenger car/SUV registrations by brand, no. sales and market share %:
Rank | Top Selling Brands 2025 | Top Selling Brands 2026 |
|---|---|---|
1 | Toyota 22,402 (23%) | Toyota 2809 (17%) |
2 | Mitsubishi 10,815 (11%) | Mitsubishi 1714 (11%) |
3 | Kia 8597 (9%) | Kia 1661 (10%) |
4 | Suzuki 4925 (5%) | MG 826 (5%) |
5 | Mazda 4920 (5%) | Ford 820 (5%) |
6 | Ford 4677 (5%) | Hyundai 798 (5%) |
7 | MG 4131 (4%) | Mazda 754 (5%) |
8 | Honda 3176 (4%) | Suzuki 685 (4%) |
9 | Honda 3626 (4%) | BYD 649 (4%) |
10 | GWM 3237 (3%) | GWM 561 (3%) |
11 | Nissan | Subaru 2306 (2%) | Honda 511 (3%) |
12 | BYD 1904 (2%) | Chery 406 (3%) |
13 | BMW 1787 (2%) | Subaru 349 (2%) |
14 | Volkswagen 1721 (2%) | BMW 315 (2%) |
15 | Tesla 1592 (2%) | Nissan 306 (2%) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
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