Kiwis soar in world car rankings

New Zealanders' love affair with the automobile has propelled us to the world's fourth highest level of car ownership - and we have more vehicles per head than any other country.

And, despite rising oil prices, it seems we want bigger and more powerful wheels.

A global internet survey by market research firm ACNielsen has found that almost nine out of 10 New Zealanders aged 16 or older - 89 per cent - own a car.

That puts us in fourth place in the survey of 14,100 people across 28 countries - just one percentage point behind Australia and Italy and three short of the legendary land of the automobile, the United States, which has 92 per cent ownership.

But Green Party co-leader Rod Donald believes this gives a conservative picture, as we have overtaken every other country, including the US, in the number of cars we own per head.

According to a 2004 World Bank publication unearthed by the Parliamentary Library, New Zealanders had 578 cars for every 1000 people (children included) in 1999-2001, compared with 436 in 1990.

"It is not a first I am proud of," said Mr Donald, who blames the removal of tariffs and consequent flood of second-hand imports, untrammelled by emission standards until last year.

The bank's world development indicators put Italy in second place, with 542 cars for every 1000 residents, and the US well down at seventh, with 481.

One explanation for the apparent disparity between ownership surveys could be that the ACNielsen poll did not ask if people had more than one car, and those polled had to be affluent enough to be connected to the internet.

At the other extreme, the World Bank survey put car ownership in India and China at six and seven respectively for every 1000 people.

The ACNielsen survey, taken in October, although published only this week, suggests the tide will turn because of a far higher proportion of would-be car buyers in Asian countries than elsewhere.

The survey shows sedans are still the most popular car type in New Zealand, owned by 43 per cent of those polled, compared with 10 per cent who have four-wheel-drives.

And most New Zealanders prefer large engines, with 56 per cent owning a car with two litres or more under the bonnet.

An even higher 64 per cent of those planning to buy a car within 12 months of the survey want at least two litres, and 15 per cent intend buying a sports utility vehicle.

Despite rising oil prices, only 6 per cent of intending owners said they would settle for an engine size of less than 1.4 litres.

The Greens' other co-leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons, was dismayed that only 2 per cent of those surveyed ranked fuel consumption as their main consideration when deciding what car to buy. This compares with 41 per cent for whom price was top priority, and 11 per cent who believed in safety first.

She blamed a lack of Government leadership in educating car owners about fuel efficiency.

Transport Minister Pete Hodgson admitted similar alarm, but said his ministry was busy designing a web-site with fuel consumption figures and was considering whether an efficiency star-rating system could be introduced to car showrooms and elsewhere.

Dog and Lemon car-buyers guide publisher Clive Matthew-Wilson warned that cars with large petrol engines could become uneconomical within months if oil prices continued to rise, and said Ford and General Motors were already suffering from a market backlash.

But Automobile Association spokesman Greg Hunting said rising prices had made little impact on motoring activity, as New Zealanders had to depend on cars for essential trips in the absence of reliable public transport.

* A four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Ford Territory TX AWD Auto, last night became the supreme winner of the Automobile Association's inaugural excellence awards.

The vehicle, which judges said managed to be "all things to all people, from a comfortable family car to hard-core off-roader", was selected from 11 excellence award categories at a black-tie dinner in Auckland.

CROWDED ROADS

New Zealand has the world's fourth highest ownership rate - 89 per cent of those surveyed (aged 16 or over) own a car.

Only Australia and Italy (both 90 per cent) and the United States (92 per cent) are ahead in the proportion of car owners.

This does not take account of people who own more than one car. Taking them into account, World Bank figures for 2000-2001 rate New Zealand as having the highest per capita car ownership rate in the world - 578 cars for every 1000 residents in 1999-2001.

More than a quarter of New Zealanders old enough to hold a full driver's licence (26 per cent) said when surveyed in October that they intended buying a car in the next 12 months.

SIZE MATTERS

Despite rising oil prices, 56 per cent of car owners have at least two litres of engine power under their bonnets, and only 9 per cent have anything less than 1.4 litres.

Of those intending to buy a new car this year, 64 per cent want at least two litres and just 6 per cent will settle for the low-power option.

Older car owners tend to have larger engines. Among owners aged 55-59, 77 per cent have cars of more than 2 litres.

FOUR WHEELS GOOD

Just 10 per cent of car owners have four-wheel-drives, but 15 per cent of those intending to buy a vehicle this year want one.

Only 34 per cent intend buying a sedan, compared with 43 per cent who now own one.

Hatchbacks have a 19 per cent ownership rate, and stationwagons account for 13 per cent of the vehicles we drive.

Four-wheel-drives are most prevalent among those aged 55-59; 17 per cent of drivers in that age group own one.

WHAT WE WANT

Price matters most - 41 per cent of people surveyed rate it as their top priority and 70 per cent include it among the top three decision-making factors.

Safety and security comes a distant second, with 11 per cent surveyed giving it their top priority.

Women are four times more interested in safety - 16 per cent v 4 per cent.

Design, brand image and prestige are the most important factors for 9 per cent of car owners.