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Toyota celebrated its 20th successive year as the best-selling marque in New Zealand with almost 20 per cent of the 102,468 new cars and commercials sold in 2007.
The Japanese giant lifted its share of the near-record new-vehicle market by more than 1 per cent, selling 20,016 new vehicles for 19.53 per cent, up from 19,200 sales and 18.19 per cent the previous year.
Its nearest rival, Ford, sold 13,652 new vehicles for 13.32 per cent, down 800-odd units and almost 2.5 points from 14,490 sales and 15.79 per cent in 2006. Ford expects its new Mondeo and upcoming new Falcon to pick up last year's shortfall.
Third-placed Holden remained steady, with 11,581 new sales last year against 11,600 in 2006. But, like Ford, its 11.3 per cent share of the market last year dropped away nearly two points from a 13.26 per cent slice in 2006.
The higher demand for smaller cars ate into big-wheels specialists Ford and Holden's market share, although the Holden Commodore sedan stayed the best-selling car overall, just pipping the Toyota Corolla and Ford Falcon.
Overall, sales of 77,454 cars and 25,014 commercials were up 2.5 per cent on 2006 and just 980 units shy of the 16-year record set in 2005.
Fourth-quarter sales of 26,276 new vehicles were up 4.6 per cent on the buoyant last three months of the record 2005 year.
"It was a great way to finish 2007," said Motor Industry Association chief executive Perry Kerr.
"Despite indications of the economy reaching a plateau, new-vehicle sales in 2007 actually regained ground to the point where they virtually matched 2005, the peak year since the industry recovered from the used import-induced doldrums of the mid-nineties."
Kerr expects new-vehicle sales this year to remain strong. "This year will hold up because it's election year, so there will be a lot of money around. "There's also the Fonterra dairy payout to farmers, which will filter through to the general economy.
"Next year will be the growth year. We are predicting new vehicle sales in 2009 to increase by between 2 and 3 per cent."
The big mover in the mainstream market last year was small-segment specialist Suzuki with sales of 4453 new cars and commercials, up 1264 units from 3189 in 2006.
That's a hike in sales of 24 vehicles a week. Suzuki's share of the 2007 market ran at 4.35 per cent, up almost two points from 2.54 per cent in 2006. Mazda was another success story, selling 6600 units last year against 6148 in 2006. Along the way it boosted its share to 6.44 per cent, up from 5.66 per cent in 2006.
The Mazda2 hatchback also won the Car of the Year gong from the NZ Motoring Writers Guild.
The Mazda2 was the Herald's small car of the year. The Ford Mondeo won this newspaper's overall car of the year award.
Nissan was fourth, with 6724 vehicles sold against 6641 in 2006. The standout feature for Nissan was its third placing behind Toyota and Ford in the commercial sector with 2840 units, up from 2351 in 2006. The jump of almost 500 sales was largely on the back of the Navarra ute, one of the best workhorses on the market.
Honda remained steady, selling 6247 new cars last year against 6212 in 2006. Its new Accord will challenge the Ford Mondeo in the mid-range segment this year.
Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia also boosted numbers over 2006. Hyundai sold 400 more units and Kia about 100.
Volkswagen was the top European marque with 2388 sales against 2349 in 2006. Its luxury stablemate Audi dominated luxury passenger car sales with 1308 units against second-placed BMW's 1235 and Mercedes-Benz' 1104.
It is the first time Audi has topped the premium segment since it set up shop here in the late 1970s. Audi sales here last year were up around 17 per cent on 2006.
The numbers echoed Audi's growth worldwide in 2007, at one stage in Australia running at around 40 per cent. Ten years ago, Audi sold 340 new vehicles in New Zealand.
Audi NZ general manager Glynn Tulloch likes the way 2008 is shaping up. "We don't see a big increase in luxury sales this year, but we are pretty buoyant about Audi continuing to lead the segment because of the line-up of new products, including the new A4 range."
Both Audi and BMW lifted sales of turbodiesel models. Audi's accounted for 35 per cent of overall sales, up from around 25 per cent in 2006. The rise was due mainly to a bigger range of diesel options in passenger cars and lifestyle models like the all-wheel-drive Allroad and Q7.
BMW diesel sales ran at 36 per cent last year, compared with 27 per cent in 2006 and 23 per cent in 2005. The best-selling BMW last year was the 3-litre diesel version of the X5 lifestyle vehicle. BMW Group managing director Mark Gilbert expects diesel sales to rise again this year with the introduction of new engines.
* Sales of used imports last year totalled 132,955 cars and commercials, down roughly 2 per cent from 135,615 in 2006.
