Mitsubishi Finishes October On A High

The last few years have been a bumpy ride for almost every industry. The unprecedented circumstances surrounding a global pandemic set off a chain of events that were impossible to prepare for - from businesses being affected by staffing issues, supply chains grinding to a halt and products and services that don't translate well to an online shopping experience being seriously hindered by the pandemic. It had a domino effect on many aspects of our lives, and those ripples are still being felt today. This tangled web of circumstances hit some industries harder than others, and one that was particularly hard hit was the automotive industry.

Thankfully for the automotive industry, we've hit a turning point in this situation and the dust is beginning to settle - and this is being reflected in the latest vehicle sales across Aotearoa. September signalled that the industry was beginning to bounce back and the figures from an incredibly strong October added further confidence to this assessment.

New Zealand's October Vehicle Sales

Over October, New Zealand's new-car market recorded 14,736 registrations. This figure is up a respectable 5.1% when compared to the same period last year. Overall, the figures are promising, with the overall market being up 0.3% over the same 10-month period in 2021. All in all, Kiwis registered 10,771 passenger cars and SUVs in October, up 3.6% when compared to 2021's year-to-date. This is a strong indicator of the market finally settling, as a significant proportion of this increase can be attributed to manufacturers being able to deliver vehicles on backorder as supply chains recover.

Toyota always has a strong presence in the NZ market, and October was no different, accounting for a 21% share of the market. Sitting in second place is Mitsubishi with 16% and Kia with 9% market share.

While Mitsubishi may trail behind Toyota in overall sales, their ace up their sleeve has always been in passenger cars and SUVs - and their strong showing in October demonstrates that they effectively tapped into this market segment. Mitsubishi holds onto its lead with 15% of this market, with Toyota nipping at their heels in second place also with a market share of 15% - but with a difference of 818 unit sales between the two manufacturers, with Mitsubishi selling 14,970 units and Toyota 14,152 units.

Mitsubishi's Outlander Continues to Make Waves

Mitsubishi's latest Outlander line-up burst onto the New Zealand market with a bang, making its presence known and maintaining this momentum in October. The Next Gen Mitsubishi Outlander was the top-selling passenger and SUV model in October, selling an impressive 1030 units.

The Outlander's incredible showing can be attributed to not just its award-winning features but also to the price point at which Mitsubishi has been able to offer its customers this product range - providing premium features while backing up both combustion engine and PHEV models with Mitsubishi’s industry-leading Diamond Advantage warranty.

And the wider industry has taken notice - the icing on the cake is that not only has the Next Gen Mitsubishi Outlander received a nomination as a finalist for NZ Car of the Year, the Outlander PHEV has won the best Clean Car PHEV award by AA DRIVEN COTY 2022.

The Electric Future is Here

It should be clear by now that BEV, PHEVs and Hybrid technology is not only here to stay, but it is also set to overtake the market. October echoed these predictions with sales figures for vehicles that implement electric technology continuing their upward projection.

Once again, Mitsubishi leads the pack in the Plug-In Electric Hybrid segment of the market taking the top two places for sales with the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV (409 units) and Next Gen Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (313 units), followed in third place by the MG HS (83 units).

Mitsubishi Leaves its Mark on the Top 10 Passenger and SUV Sales for October.

While the Next Gen Mitsubishi Outlander led the charts on passenger cars and SUV sales for October, it wasn't Mitsubishi's only contender. The Outlander shared its spotlight with 2 other Mitsubishi vehicles, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and ASX - and that's not even counting the Mitsubishi Triton taking third place on the Top 10 commercial charts.

Mitsubishi's impressive showing has demonstrated that the manufacturer is not just competitive in the market but also continues to build a strong customer base. Mitsubishi has a reputation for listening to its customers, keeping its finger on the pulse, and iterating and developing its vehicles to address the needs of its market. This strategy has paid off so far, with the redesigned Next Gen Outlander being evidence of how successful this tactic can be.

This understanding of their customer base is further backed up by Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand (MMNZ) focus on customer service and after care. MMNZ and its dealer network has been named the NZ’s #3 brand, and #1 automotive brand, in the NZ Kantar’s 2022 Customer Leadership Index. Pair this with extremely competitive pricing without ever compromising quality, and it is no wonder that Mitsubishi has a loyal fan base in New Zealand.

The 2022 Vehicle Sales figures from October indicate that Mitsubishi is set to continue cementing its presence on the NZ car sales markets for some time yet.

Simon Lucas Mitsubishi Are Auckland’s Mitsubishi Experts

October's vehicle sales figures showed a promising increase in confidence amongst buyers and sellers, with Mitsubishi spearheading much of the success due to their range of award-winning vehicles at competitive prices. This success showcases why Mitsubishi is one of New Zealand’s leading automotive manufacturers and will no doubt continue to lead in future sales figures as well.

Simon Lucas Mitsubishi is a leading Mitsubishi dealership on Auckland's North Shore. Their friendly and experienced team can help you find the perfect Mitsubishi vehicle for your lifestyle. So if you're wanting to know why so many New Zealanders are choosing Mitsubishi, get in contact with the team at Simon Lucas Mitsubishi today!

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