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%, and 2026 sales numbers are off to a good start:
- 2021: 112,008 cars
- 2022: 116,334 cars
- 2023: 110,488 cars
- 2024: 87,410 cars
- 2025: 97,972 cars
- 2026 (Jan-May): 41,455 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 2024-25, there was a shake-up at the top. The Eclipse Cross, which sold 1030 last year, was 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. But so far this year, Tesla has sold 1000 Model Ys, putting it back in the top 10:
Rank | Top Selling Cars 2025 | Top Selling Cars 2026 |
|---|---|---|
1 | Toyota RAV4 (11,295) | Toyota RAV4 (2165) |
2 | Mitsubishi ASX (4970) | Mitsubishi ASX (1534) |
3 | Mitsubishi Outlander (4309) | Ford Everest (1200) |
4 | Ford Everest (3323) | Toyota Corolla Cross (1185) |
5 | Kia Seltos (3189) | Mitsubishi Outlander (1058) |
6 | Toyota Yaris Cross (2018) | Kia Sportage (1024) |
7 | MG ZS (1971) | Tesla Model Y (1000) |
8 | Toyota Corolla (1953) | Kia Seltos (870) |
9 | Hyundai Tucson (1841) | Hyundai Tucson (788) |
10 | Suzuki Swift (1825) | Toyota Yaris Cross (767) |
11 | GWM Haval H6 (1815) | GWM Haval H6 (700) |
12 | Toyota Landcruiser Prado (1668) | Mazda CX-5 (589) |
13 | Mazda CX-5 (1609) | Kia Stonic (547) |
14 | Toyota Corolla Cross (1476) | Toyota Landcruiser Prado (515) |
15 | Kia Sportage (1360) | Toyota Yaris (503) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
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 had a big effect. While hybrid sales remained strong last year, new EV numbers plummeted. Just 7% of vehicles sold in 2025 were fully electric.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), which are now subject to road user charges, were also out of favour. Just 4658 PHEVs were registered in NZ last year, while non plug-in hybrid sales were strong, matching those of petrol vehicles.
However, over the first five months of 2026, EV and PHEV sales rebounded considerably. And, marking a tipping point, sales of vehicles with non plug-in hybrid engines (of which just over 1% were diesel) surpassed those of cars with traditional combustion engines:
Sales by Engine Type 2025 | Sales by Engine Type 2026 |
|---|---|
40% Petrol | 35% Non plug-in hybrid |
40% Non plug-in hybrid | 33% Petrol |
8% Diesel | 15% EV |
7% EV | 10% Plug-in hybrid |
5% Plug-in hybrid | 7% Diesel |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
So far this year, sales by engine type:
Non plug-in hybrids: 35% (14,894)
Top models include:
- Toyota RAV4 (2165)
- Toyota Corolla Cross (1185)
- Kia Sportage (1024)
Petrol: 33% (13,547 sales)
Top models include:
- Mitsubishi ASX (1534)
- Mitsubishi Outlander (1058)
- Kia Seltos (870)
EVs: 15% (6186 sales)
Top models include:
- Tesla Model Y (1000)
- Dongfeng Box (398)
- BYD Atto 1 (391)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle: 10% (3992 sales)
Top models include:
- BYD Sealion 5 (365)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (321)
- GWM Haval H6 (294)
Diesel: 7% (2836 sales)
Top models include:
- Ford Everest (1200)
- Land Rover Defender (203)
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (198)
Top selling EV models
As we mention above, so far this year EV sales have bounced back:
- 2023: 21,032 EVs
- 2024: 6341 EVs
- 2025: 6871 EVs
- 2026 (Jan-May): 6186 cars
And despite many new models hitting the market, such as the Dongfeng Box, the Tesla Model Y remains the country's most popular EV:
Rank | Top Selling EVs 2025 | Top Selling EVs 2026 |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tesla Model Y (1284) | Tesla Model Y (1000) |
2 | BYD Atto 3 (555) | Dongfeng Box (398) |
3 | Polestar 2 (354) | BYD Atto 1 (391) |
4 | BYD Sealion 7 (337) | BYD Atto 3 (295) |
5 | Tesla Model 3 (308) | BYD Atto 2 (288) |
6 | Kia EV5 (276) | Kia EV3 (267) |
7 | Kia EV3 (255) | BYD Sealion 7 (249) |
8 | BYD Dolphin (221) | Zeekr 7X (242) |
9 | Toyota BZ4X (192) | MG ZS (240) |
10 | BMW i (176) | MG 4 (218) |
11 | Honda e:N1 (171) | Kia EV5 (177) |
12 | Mini Countryman (151) | MG S5 (173) |
13 | Omoda E5 (128) | Tesla Model 3 (170) |
14 | Geely EX5 | Mini Aceman (111) | Dongfeng Vigo (150) |
15 | Volvo EX30 (109) | Toyota BZ4X (135) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
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 quarter 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 BYD, 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 6972 (17%) |
2 | Mitsubishi 10,815 (11%) | Mitsubishi 3629 (9%) |
3 | Kia 8597 (9%) | Kia 3581 (9%) |
4 | Suzuki 4925 (5%) | MG 2183 (5%) |
5 | Mazda 4920 (5%) | BYD 2069 (5%) |
6 | Ford 4677 (5%) | Suzuki 1935 (5%) |
7 | MG 4131 (4%) | Ford 1708 (4%) |
8 | Honda 3176 (4%) | Mazda 1704 (4%) |
9 | Honda 3626 (4%) | GWM 1691 (4%) |
10 | GWM 3237 (3%) | Hyundai 1669 (4%) |
11 | Nissan | Subaru 2306 (2%) | Honda 1359 (3%) |
12 | BYD 1904 (2%) | Tesla 1170 (3%) |
13 | BMW 1787 (2%) | Chery 987 (2%) |
14 | Volkswagen 1721 (2%) | Subaru 801 (2%) |
15 | Tesla 1592 (2%) | Nissan 796 (2%) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
