Hyundai Plant Deliveries : 2024-26 (H1)

Hyundai plant sales have been around just over a million units a quarter. The numbers were down 3% in 2024, down 1% in 2025 and so half way through 2026 down 5%. 

Those numbers are fairly even, but the trend is clear. The key point is why? I suspect that Hyundai wants to go more upmarket. Not hugely, but enough to improve margins and position it slightly above Kia.

The fact is that the next few years are going to be a challenge as Chinese brands up the ante. The 7% fall in Q2 2026 was the largest fall since Q1 2022, when the economy was still getting itself sorted after COVID.

Data source: Hyundai.
Above the Sonata and below the Tucson (with not very subtle stalker tendencies).

Chile Passenger Car Sales : 2026 (Jan-July)

Registrations weredown 7% in July but up 7% YTD. Suzuki's 10.5% market share is the best since 2008. It was also enough to secure the top spot. Hyundai and Kia are similar in terms of volume. Toyota is next, just 33 behind Kia, so it is really tight among those three. 

Chinese brands are popular and are still pushing hard but can they go all the way and take the top places? There is some work to do if that is the ambition.

Data source: ANAC. Photos Suzuki Fronx & Kia Soluto. 

NZ Passenger Car EV Sales : 2025-26 (Jan-July)

                                                               

With petrol prices as they are, some car buyers suddenly decide to switch to an EVs. Prices will fall again, so a short term fossil fuel hike gets consumers in a tizz. 

My first feeling was that if they did the maths, surely there isn't justification to do so costwise. But as the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz persist, maybe there will ultimately prove to be merit in the shift. 

Passenger car EV registrations in New Zealand are up 56%, even when comparing seven months of 2026 with a complete 2025 as we see to the right. EV market share has lifted from 7.0% in 2025 to 17.8% so far in 2026. 

The +/- column shows shift in market share, not sales volume. Tesla leads the way with 2,517 sales and BYD 2,082. Neither has gained much in their share, more a case of retaining what they have.

MG/IM and Dongfeng have increased their registrations and market share. Kia is doing okay but is losing out on capitalising fully on the increase taking place. 

It's interesting to note that legacy brands have almost all taken substantial hits. Chinese brands are certainly making their mark.

With effect stock levels have affected sales I can't say but it doesn't diminish the reality that Chinese brands and companies that source their EVs from there are doing very well. 

Data Source: NZTA. 
Photos: Dongfeng (007) & MG (4).