Suzuki Forges Ahead in Passenger and SUV Sales in New Zealand

Suzuki is making further sales advances in the New Zealand new motor vehicle market in both the compact sport utility (SUV) and compact passenger car category.

Last year the brand increased its penetration of the passenger car market while also forging ahead with its comprehensive range of small SUV models.

While sales of all new passenger cars increased only marginally from 49,066 in 2015 to 49,200 in 2016, Suzuki increased its volume by 8 percent from 2,798 to 3,021. At the same time, Suzuki’s market penetration was up from 5.7 percent in 2015 to 6.1 percent last year.

Led by the increasingly popular new Vitara, Suzuki’s increase was even more spectacular in the popular small SUV category. In the competitive class for small SUVs costing less than $40,000, the marque lifted volume 59.2 percent, from 1,324 units to 2,108.

Adding in the larger and more expensive Grand Vitara, and total Suzuki SUV sales totaled 2,282 – a 44.4 percent increase on the 1,580 retailed in 2015. This result also boosted the market share for Suzuki.

In combined passenger car and SUV sales, Suzuki volume lifted 21.1 percent from 4,378 to 5,303, improving market penetration from 4.6 percent to 5.2 percent. In the same period, total passenger and SUV sales rose by a more modest 8.1 percent.

“Vitara was a real highlight for us while the ever popular Swift hatchback was again the number one selling light car, out-performing the previous year, “said Gary Collins, General Manager of Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand. After launching in 2015, the latest generation Vitara increased its presence on New Zealand roads, capturing 13.7 percent of the small SUV class in 2016.

The Vitara’s many accolades during the year included small SUV of the year awards from both NZ 4WD and New Zealand Company Vehicle magazine.

Demand for new Swifts rose by 8.3 percent from 2,373 to 2,570, well ahead of the total market for passenger cars. The long-running 1.3 Jimny four-wheel-drive SUV baby was another bright star, increasing its local sales by a remarkable 33 percent.

Suzuki’s rising popularity has also been reflected internationally, and at a London awards ceremony this month, the ‘What Car? ‘publication chose no fewer than three of the brand’s models. For the second successive year the Vitara was named the best overall model in its price bracket, the Swift Sport the “best buy” Hot Hatch of the year, and the Celerio the “best buy” city car.

Steve Huntingford, editor of ‘What Car? ‘said, “The Vitara’s combination of generous space, a long equipment level list, keen pricing and low running costs help it win this entry price point for the second year in a row.” He said the 1.6 litre petrol engine was easily strong enough to haul a family and luggage and had proved remarkably fuel efficient in a real world economy test.

The Vitara is good to drive too, said Huntingford. “Its body is tightly controlled in corners, the steering is reasonably precise and the suspension smooths out the worst our broken roads can throw at it. It’s an impressively roomy car inside, and the boot is practical and generously sized with a wide opening and a low lip.”

‘What Car?’ gave the Swift Sport the Hot Hatch award for the sixth year in row, saying it was more economical than the claimed figures.

“The Swift Sport is a reminder of the way hot hatches used to be, and it’s none the worse for that. Whereas all rivals now have turbocharged engines that pull strongly from low revs, the Sport uses a naturally aspirated 1.6 engine that’s most rewarding,” said Huntingford. “The Sport also feels light on its feet, thanks to its diminutive size. You can push it hard even on a narrow country road without feeling like you have to breathe in when something comes the other way.”

“Then there’s the car’s sensible side. Suzuki was runner up in our most recent reliability survey, so the Swift should prove reliable,“ he said. In the publication’s real world fuel economy test, the Sport averaged a respectable 6.2 litres/100 km (45.2 miles per gallon).

Finally, the Celerio was voted top city car because nothing else in the class offered so much for so little. The car was praised for its good visibility, high equipment level, generous seat adjustment, surprising amount of interior space and large boot.