Parking NZ Style

When it comes to inconveniencing other people, the Kiwi male is very good. Parking across your access to and from your house, in drive ways that others use to get to their home and garage and footpaths being blocked. All of this to save them walking a few extra metres. If you ask them to move, the reply is 'I'll only be ten minutes". If you say I can't wait that long, then they reluctantly comply, distraught over the extra minuscule walking distance they now have to undertake. We're talking a few metres here by the way. NZ isn't a crowded country with street parking free and parking spaces rarely an issue.

Anyway, I was walking down this road recently and found there two vehicles parked facing the wrong way (illegal in NZ) and also denying pedestrians their footpath. It was closer to the front door no doubt but the minimal distance saved makes you wonder why break the law to gain so little. Not to mention inconveniencing elderly or invalids.

Hyundai/Kia & Mazda US/Mexico Production (Model) : 2017-18

Hyundai & Kia share factories in the US and Mexico so have been combined here. Mazda was added to the page as its too small for a dedicated article.

USA: Five models are made here and none stands out in terms of volume. Two years of -17% and -9% decreases have been experienced. While the 550,000 units sound a lot, the 1,270,000 sales in the country puts them well into net importers.

USA Production – Hyundai/Kia
Model	2018	%	+/-		2017	%	+/-
Hyundai Car	233,987	41.2%	-13%		269,919	43.5%	-21%
Elantra	147,018	25.9%	12%		131,753	21.2%	-24%
Sonata	86,969	15.3%	-37%		138,166	22.3%	-18%
Kia Car	98,896	17.4%	3%		96,444	15.5%	-14%
Optima	98,896				96,444
Total Car	332,883	58.6%	-9%		366,363	59.1%	-20%
Hyundai Trk	104,013	18.3%	-21%		132,456	21.4%	-6%
Sante Fe	104,013				132,456
Kia Truck	130,701	23.0%	8%		121,562	19.6%	-22%
Sorento	130,701				121,562
Total Truck	234,714	41.4%	-8%		254,018	40.9%	-14%
Grand Total	567,597		-9%		620,381		-17%

Mexico: The plant here only opened in 2016 and is still growing strongly with +106% and +33% increases. There is concern about access to the US and contingency plans are in place for export elsewhere. The 144,000 sales in Mexico is half of production total.

Mexico Production – Hyundai/Kia
Model	2018	%	+/-		2017	%	+/-
Kia Car	237,626	80.7%	15%		206,420	93.2%	92%
Forte	136,529	46.3%	19%		114,791	51.8%	7%
Rio	101,097	34.3%	10%		91,629	41.4%	n/a
Hyundai Car	56,974	19.3%	278%		15,080	6.8%	n/a
Accent	56,974				15,080
Grand Total	294,600		33%		221,500		106%

Mexico: 2014 marked the year that Mazda opened the plant here. It's part of Mazda increasing its limited overseas production. The 2 and 3 car models are made and the volume is fairly steady. With 58,000 local sales, exports are a big part of keeping the operation viable.

Mexico Production – Mazda
Model	2018	%	+/-		2017	%	+/-
3	106,356	71.1%	-1%		107,813	76.0%	-6%
2	43,233	28.9%	27%		33,961	24.0%	-2%
Grand Total	149,589		6%		141,774		-5%

Please note that figures can vary slightly depending on the source.

Subaru/Tesla US Production (Model) : 2017-18

Two brands that have no connection but as both are not large operations, I combined them.

USA: Production grew 22% in 2017, but came to a halt in 2018, despite the Ascent truck arriving on the scene. The Outback remains the main model. With an impressive 680,000 vehicles sold in the US in 2018, it is a net importer.

USA Production – Subaru
Model	2018	%	+/-		2017	%	+/-
Subaru Car	311,663	86.7%	-14%		363,414		22%
Outback	195,051	54.3%	-5%		204,930	56.4%	-2%
Impreza	76,417	21.3%	-30%		109,038	30.0%	714%
Legacy	40,195	11.2%	-19%		49,446	13.6%	-34%
Subaru Truck	47,736	13.3%	n/a		-
Ascent	47,736
Grand Total	359,399		-1%		363,414		22%

USA: Sales are growing quickly and production is having to move quickly to meet demand. The increase of 150% in 2018 was due to the 3 model. Sales figures are hard to verify but safe to say it is a small net exporter of cars.

USA Production – Tesla
Model	2018	%	+/-		2017	%	+/-
Tesla Car	211,203	81.1%	204%		69,508	66.8%	20%
3	157,108	60.3%	n/a		2,685	2.6%
S	54,095	20.8%	-19%		66,823	64.2%	16%
Tesla Truck	49,314	18.9%	43%		34,504	33.2%	32%
X	49,314				34,504
Grand Total	260,517		150%		104,012		24%

Please note that figures can vary slightly depending on the source.