Used imports plummet
There were 4,912 used passenger vehicles imported last month, a drop of 36.5 per cent from March when 7,739 units crossed our borders.
April’s decline ended a run of increases in the three previous months and was also down by 57.5 per cent from 11,551 units in the same month a year ago.
The year-to-date total for 2025 is now 26,063 – 30.5 per cent lower than the 37,478 achieved at the same time last year, according to figures from Customs NZ.
Last month, 4,733 units were imported from Japan for a 96.4 per cent share of the market. Australia was next with 138 units, followed by Singapore on 25, the US with 13 and the UK on 10.
As for used light commercials, 84 crossed the border in April to bring the year-to-date total to 598. That total is down by 60.7 per cent from 1,522 at the same time last year.
Last month’s figure alone was 46.5 per cent lower than the 157 units imported in March this year and a fall of 81.9 per cent from 463 in April 2024.
New-vehicle market
As for new passenger vehicles, there were 6,369 units brought into New Zealand last month.
April’s tally means 25,024 vehicles have come in so far in 2025, which is down 6.7 per cent from the 26,824 units for the same period a year ago.
Last month’s figure was down by 8.5 per cent from March this year when the monthly total was 6,962 new cars.
However, it was 3.1 per cent higher than the 6,180 units imported in April 2024.
Japan was the main country of export with 3,150 units followed by South Korea with 832. Next up was China on 747, Thailand with 413, and the US on 304.
For new light commercials, there were 3,665 units imported in April. This was up 145 per cent from 1,496 in March this year, and the highest monthly tally since March 2023 when 4,257 units crossed our borders.
The April total was also an increase of 84.6 per cent from 1,985 in the same month last year.
It took the year-to-date figure to 9,489 units, which is 31.4 per cent more than the 7,223 recorded over the same period a year ago.
Overall, 15,440 vehicles, including trucks and buses, crossed our border in April. This was up from 16,656 in the previous month.
