Clearly, we’re living in weird times – so it’s no surprise that New Zealand’s new truck market is also behaving a little strangely.

In October, for instance, the market seemed to find some stability – even as COVID-19 emergency levels around the country see-sawed up and down.

Truck sales for the overall market (above 4.5 tonnes GVM) were almost identical to the previous month – 477 (in October), 475 in September.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency statistics show that this was a 32.1% improvement on October 2020 (when just 361 new trucks were registered) – but only slightly down on the last “normal” (ie pre-COVID-effected) year, in 2019…when there were 480 registrations in the same month.

Then again, the year-to-date truck registrations to the end of October 2021 totalled 4036, which doesn’t compare well against the 4566 tally at the same point in 2019....but is way ahead of the lowly 3385 to the end of October 2020. 

The trailer market YTD at the end of October total stood at 1187 – similarly, ahead of October 2020’s 1045 registrations…but way down on 2018’s 1458 alltime best.

In the overall truck market (4.5t-maximum GVM), Isuzu (755/87) edged ahead of nearest YTD rival FUSO (716/71), albeit in a market leadership contest that certainly got tighter in 2021: At the same time last year Isuzu had 813 YTD registrations, while FUSO had sold just 494.

Hino (637/92) outdid them both in October – cementing its YTD third place and closing a little on second-placed FUSO. Scania (371/41) held fourth YTD, ahead of Iveco (246/23), Mercedes-Benz (217/30), Kenworth (192/23) and Volvo (160/12) – each with their ranking unchanged from September. The only movement in the YTD top 10 saw UD (152/23) improve one place at the expense of DAF (144/14). 

In the 3.5-4.5t GVM crossover segment, clear leader Fiat (341/60) again extended its lead, ahead of Volkswagen (118/22) and Mercedes-Benz (63/6).

Registrations in the 4.5-7.5t category saw FUSO (370/36) hold its lead on Isuzu (296/38), with Hino (157/24) remaining third. Mercedes-Benz (115/18) and Iveco (107/12) stayed fourth and fifth respectively.

In the 7.5-15t class, Isuzu (306/37) remained the clear leader, ahead of Hino (221/39), while FUSO (146/13) stayed third, with Foton (53/11) and Iveco (43/5) well behind the top three.

In the 15-20.5t GVM category, Hino (73/7) continued to lead, well ahead of FUSO (49/2) and UD (29/5), in second and third. Iveco (18/2) retained fourth ahead of Isuzu (17/3), which was joined by Scania (17/4).

In the tiny 20.5-23t GVM division, Hino (16/1) retained the top spot, ahead of Isuzu (13/0) and FUSO (10/2).

In the premium 23t-maximum GVM category, Scania (349/37) had another dominant month to further extend its 2021 lead. Its YTD market share was up markedly for the third straight year – to 20.2% at the end of October, compared to 15.1% in 2020 and 8.2% in 2019.

Kenworth (192/23) continued to hold second YTD, also showing a year-on-year increase in market share – from 8.8% in 2020 to 11.1% in 2021. Hino (170/21) moved clear of Volvo (157/11) to cement third. The only change in the order of the top 10 from September was FUSO (141/18), fifth, moving clear of DAF (137/14). Isuzu (123/9), UD (112/16), Mercedes-Benz (86/11) and Iveco (77/4) completed the top 10.

Trailer market leader Patchell slightly increased its substantial lead, with 13 October registrations (the best for the month) taking its YTD total to 157. 

The order of the top 10 was unchanged, with Fruehauf (116/11) retaining second, ahead of Domett (100/10), Roadmaster (77/8), MTE (71/3), Transport Trailers (70/9), TMC (66/6), Freighter (60/9), Transfleet (42/4) and CWS (35/4).