Ford Ranger returns to the top of the NZ sales charts in ‘strong’ January

After finally being dethroned as New Zealand’s favourite new vehicle, the Ford Ranger was the country’s most registered vehicle in the month of January.

The Motor Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed that 688 Ford Rangers were registered in January, seeing the pick-up edge ahead of the model that beat it in 2025 — the Toyota RAV4. 

It was a healthy opening month for the industry, with data showing an 8.9% year-on-year growth in overall registrations. A total of 11,806 new vehicles were registered in January. According to MIA chief executive Aimee Wiley, the rise in sales largely stemmed from a more buoyant rental market. 

“January has opened the year on a stronger footing than the same month last year, with growth coming through most clearly in light passenger vehicles,” said Wiley.

“The increase was supported by higher rental registrations and steady business demand, while private registrations were slightly lower. These results indicate improving conditions, but the market continues to remain sensitive to broader economic and confidence settings.”

As Toyota prepares to launch a new sixth-generation RAV4 in the coming months, the outgoing fifth-generation model continues to notch up strong sales. A total of 641 were registered in January, positioning it ahead of the Mitsubishi ASX (492 registrations), Nissan Navara (405), and Mitsubishi Outlander (363). 

The top 10 best sellers list was rounded out by the Kia Stonic (354), Toyota Corolla Cross (334), Ford Everest (296), Toyota Yaris Cross (284), and Toyota Hiace (271). 

It is noteworthy that the strong month of sales was achieved despite the fact that two of the most popular nameplates in the country did not appear in the national top 10. 

The Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi Triton were the third and sixth most popular new vehicles of 2025. Slow months in January for both models saw them ranked 12th (Triton) and 13th (Hilux), respectively. The Hilux's results make sense, with the new-generation Hilux arriving at dealerships in February.

In the electric vehicle market, dedicated electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles almost mirrored each other in January — 761 registrations for BEVs and 738 registrations for PHEVs. Year-on-year, BEV registrations were up 22.1% and PHEV registrations were up 35.4%. 

BYD locked out the top two BEV registration slots in January, with the new Atto 1 and Atto 2 leading the charge with 94 and 71 registrations a piece. The MG ZS EV was third with 60 registrations. BYD also led the PHEV market, with its Sealion 6 and Shark 6 also locking out the top two spots with 86 and 85 registrations each.

Top 10 most popular new vehicles, January 2026