The New Zealand new truck market continued its record-breaking form in April. 

Four hundred trucks were registered for the month in the overall market (trucks with a GVM of 4.5 tonnes or more), taking the total sales for the first four months of the year to 1700, according to official NZ Transport Agency data.

That was a 7% improvement on the previous best-ever April registration tally – the 372 recorded last year. 

The YTD total at the end of April was also an alltime best – an 8.4% increase on last year’s 1557 registrations.

The trailer market, while still buoyant – with 126 registrations – was still 33 shy of last year’s record April performance. The YTD total at the end of April stood at 497.

In the overall 4.5t to maximum GVM new truck market, Isuzu was again the No. 1 for the month, with 97 registrations – taking its 2019 total to 388.

Similarly, second-placed FUSO also picked up year-on-year: Its 273 registrations so far in 2019 saw it with a 16.1% share…compared to its 248 sales and a 15.9% share at the same point last year.

Another major player also picked up market share this year: Volvo (140/21), which was fourth YTD at the end of April – behind Hino (233/62) – held an 8.2% market share….up from fifth YTD last year, with 101 registrations and a 6.5% share.

UD had a strong month, its 27 April regos seeing it fourth for the month and improving one place YTD, to seventh, with 87 sales.

Iveco (80/23) also had a strong month, holding ninth YTD.

There were no surprises in the crossover 3.5-4.5t GVM segment, with Fiat (88/21) continuing to open up an already-dominant lead on Mercedes-Benz (22/3) and Ford (16/6). 

In the 4.5-7.5t GVM class, FUSO (109/24) continued to lead, although second-placed Isuzu (93/27), outperformed it in April registrations. Iveco (55/17) was third, while Hino (41/21) improved to fourth, pushing Mercedes-Benz (40/16) back to fifth. 

In the 7.5-15t GVM category, Isuzu (174/47) opened up its lead on Hino (79/15) and FUSO (66/16). UD (15/7) moved ahead of Iveco (11/3) for fourth. 

In the 15-20.5t GVM division, Hino (25/3) retained the lead – albeit by a narrower margin, as second-placed UD (21/6) closed in. FUSO (14/0) held third, ahead of Isuzu (11/1) in fourth and Scania (9/2), fifth. 

In the tiny 20.5-23t segment, FUSO (7/2) was joined in first-equal spot YTD by Hino (7/3), as Scania and Isuzu joined the segment with one registration apiece.

In the premium 23t to maximum GVM division, Volvo (139/20) continued to hold the No. 1 spot YTD, for the fourth consecutive month. Isuzu (109/21) remained in second place, although Kenworth (102/23) edged closer, with its best-for-the-month 23 registrations. Hino (81/20) moved ahead of FUSO (77/16) for a clear fourth place. 

DAF (75/16) retained sixth YTD, while UD (48/13) moved up from 8th-equal to a solo seventh – ahead of MAN (44/7) and Mercedes-Benz (39/4). Scania (35/6) completed the top 10. 

In the trailer market, Patchell (60/12) held its lead on second-placed Roadmaster (43/12)…while MTE (39/13) edged them in April to jump from sixth to third YTD.

TMC (38/8) dropped one spot to fourth, while Fruehauf (35/9) remained fifth and Transport Trailers (34/7) fell two places to sixth, followed by Domett (31/6). Jackson (16/4) held eighth, ahead of Freighter (14/6) and Transfleet (14/4). TES (13/2) was next, ahead of Evans (10/2), tied for 12th with Kraft (10/2) and Makaranui (10/4).