Top cars in 2022

A total of 164,964 new vehicles were registered in 2022, making it the second biggest year on record, falling just short of 2021’s record of 165,287 registrations.

Passenger vehicle sales hit a record with 116,445 vehicles registered, and electric vehicle sales “exceeded expectations”, says New Zealand Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford.

Electric vehicles, in one form or another, accounted for 41,103 new registrations, up from 23,173 in 2021, many the result of the Government’s Clean Car Rebate.
New vehicle registrations rose by 3.8 percent, driven by a rise in demand for EVs and SUVs, says Crawford, while predicting a “somewhat softer outcome” for 2023, with businesses and private buyers tightening their belts.

The Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux proved the two most popular sellers in New Zealand in 2022, with 11,577 and 9787 registrations respectively.