New Zealand’s new truck and trailer market came down with COVID-19 again in August – the country’s Level 4 lockdown decimating sales.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency statistics show that the overall truck market (over 4.5 tonnes GVM) plunged to just 283 new truck registrations for the month. 

That was a 34% drop on the previous month’s 429 total, and 29% down on August last year (with 399 registrations).

The trailer industry fared worse: The month saw just 75 new trailers registered – down 44% from July’s 134….and a 33% drop from August 2020’s 112.

Year to date truck registrations at the end of August stood at 3084 – still ahead of last year’s COVID-ravaged 2646 (following our April/May 2020 lockdowns).

Similarly, the trailer market’s 930 registrations at the end of August was also ahead of the same point last year, when the total stood at 795.

In the overall truck market (4.5t to maximum GVM) Isuzu (580/31) held its YTD lead, but second-placed FUSO (563/39) closed the gap a little. Both were topped in August registrations by third-placed Hino (462/49) and Scania (279/52), in fourth.

They were followed by Iveco (195/16), Mercedes-Benz (164/10), Kenworth (151/15), Volvo (137/5), UD (116/16) and DAF (101/15) – all holding their positions to round out the top 10.

In the 3.5-4.5t GVM crossover segment, Fiat (258/11) extended its lead, ahead of Volkswagen (85/4) and Mercedes-Benz (50/7).

In the 4.5-7.5t division, FUSO (287/26) added to its lead, comfortably ahead of Isuzu (220/11), with Hino (111/11) retaining third. Mercedes-Benz (92/7) and Iveco (89/5) stayed fourth and fifth. 

In the 7.5-15t class, Isuzu (236/13) remained the runaway leader, ahead of Hino (152/18), FUSO (120/8), Foton (39/2), Iveco (30/4), Hyundai (11/2) and UD (9/1).

In the 15-20.5t GVM category, Hino (55/3) continued to lead from FUSO (39/1) and UD (21/2). Iveco (11/0) held fourth – but only by one ahead of Scania (10/0) and Isuzu (10/3), the latter having matched the category leader for the month, with three registrations.

In the tiny 20.5-23t GVM division there were just two registrations –  Hino (12/1) going ahead of Isuzu (11/0) for the lead. FUSO (7/0) remained third.

In the premium 23t-maximum GVM category, Scania’s standout 52 registrations further extended its already comfortable YTD lead, with 266 sales. It actually beat its July total by two registrations – and eclipsed August 2020’s 28-truck tally.

Kenworth (151/15) remained a distant second YTD, ahead of Volvo (135/5), while Hino (132/16) closed in, but stayed fourth.

FUSO (110/4) was fifth, ahead of Isuzu (103/4), DAF (97/15), UD (86/13), Iveco (65/7) and Mercedes-Benz (59/3) – all holding their places to complete the top 10.

Longtime trailer market leader Patchell slightly extended its comfortable YTD lead by registering eight trailers and taking its 2021 total to 129. Fruehauf (90/5) held second, but Domett (78/8) closed a little. MTE (56/5) edged clear of Roadmaster (55/4), while TMC (51/4) was joined in sixth-equal by Transport Trailers (51/6). Freighter (44/2), Transfleet (34/3) and CWS (28/2) completed the top 10.