Sales in New Zealand’s new truck market remained strong in August, keeping 2019 sales at record levels.

Total registrations for the first eight months of the year ran to 3572 trucks in the overall market (4.5 tonnes-maximum GVM), according to official NZ Transport Agency registration data – a new year-to-date benchmark, albeit just 2% up on last year’s 3489 regos at the same point.

The month itself saw 476 trucks above 4.5t registered – down on August 2017’s record 508.

The heavy trailer market, on the other hand, continued its downward trend – the 125 registrations for the month well down on August 2018’s 166. 

Similarly, the YTD tally at the end of August stood at 1035, 12.5% down on last year’s total 1183 sales at the same point.  

In the overall 4.5t-maximum GVM market, August saw Isuzu extend its 2019 lead, with 103 units registered – pushing its YTD total out to 890, 246 ahead of second-placed FUSO (563/78).

Hino (489/63) held third position YTD, ahead of Mercedes-Benz (246/49), Volvo (217/22) and Kenworth (204/32) – the top six positions unchanged. Iveco (178/29) moved up two places into seventh position YTD, ahead of DAF and UD (both 173/20), who equalled each other for month and the year to tie for eighth position. Scania (132/21) retained 10th place.

In the crossover 3.5-4.5t segment, Fiat (158/22) continued to open a huge gap on second-placed Mercedes-Benz (52/11), with Ford (23/2) third and Chevrolet (21/2) in fourth. Peugeot (19/3) moved ahead of Renault (18/2) for fifth and sixth.

In the 4.5-7.5t category, FUSO (244/38) continued to lead YTD, followed by Isuzu (214/31), Mercedes-Benz (124/32), Iveco (102/12) and Hino (89/10) – all retaining their 2019 positions. 

In the 7.5-15t segment, Isuzu (335/33), continued to be dominant – both for the month and YTD. The top 10 positions for the year were unchanged, with Hino (161/15) second, followed by FUSO (144/17), UD (35/2), Iveco (24/4) and Foton (13/0).

In the 15-20.5t class, Hino (60/15) was followed by UD (36/4) and FUSO (33/7). Isuzu (18/1) retained fourth, followed by Scania (13/2). 

All of the top five brands in the small 20.5-23t segment held their places, with the top three – Hino (26/3), Fuso (12/2) and UD (11/2) – all adding to their totals. DAF (1/1) joined the segment in August. 

In the premium 23t to maximum GVM category, 2019 leader Isuzu (238/38) consolidated its lead, followed YTD by Volvo (214/22) and Kenworth (204/32). The rest of the top 10 in this segment also remained unchanged in August with DAF (161/19) fourth and Hino (153/20) fifth, ahead of FUSO (130/14), Scania (117/19), Mercedes-Benz (102/14), UD (91/12) and MAN (71/4). 

It was still a no-contest at the top of the trailer market, with Patchell (129/15) extending its already-considerable lead, followed by MTE (88/11) and Roadmaster (79/6) retaining third position despite a big August performance from Fruehauf (77/10)….which closed to just two behind and moved ahead of TMC (73/6).

Domett (71/8) was sixth, going away from Transport Trailers (69/6),while Transfleet (42/6) also moved clear of TES (40/4), and Jackson (30/2) held 10th.

An analysis of how the NZ truck market (4.5t GVM and above) compares on a provincial or city-by-city basis over the past 10 years, as at the end of August each year, unsurprisingly shows that Auckland continues to dominate – accounting for 36% of all registrations (which is on a par with 2018).

Its sales equalled the combined registrations in Hamilton, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Wellington, Napier and New Plymouth.

The only significant change year on year is Christchurch’s share of the national market decreasing from 11.5% to 9.3%, that picked up across the board by the other regions….except for Wellington, where sales dropped from 6.8% to 5.2%.