Compare New Cars in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Suzuki, MG, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Kia, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Nissan and BMW were compared on Overall Satisfaction, After Sale Service, Driving Experience, Point of Sale Service, Reliability and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Suzuki are in pole position, driving Kiwi consumers’ satisfaction and winning Canstar Blue’s New Cars Award 2025.
Our review compares new cars on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Kiwis think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which car brand they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 776 Kiwis who had bought a new car from a dealership in the past three years for their feedback on their purchase.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their new car brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
This is the sixth time that Suzuki has taken home Canstar Blue’s top award, having achieved back-to-back wins in 2014-15, 2017-18 and now 2024-25.
This year, Suzuki once again dominates our ratings, and is the only car brand to be awarded a top 5-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction from its new car customers.
Suzuki also achieves 5-Star ratings in the fields of After Sale Service, Point of Sale Service and Reliability, plus great 4-Star ratings for Driving Experience and Value for Money.
Over the past decade, Suzuki has won Canstar Blue’s New Car Award more than any other car brand, which is a testament to the customer satisfaction the Japanese car brand delivers to Kiwi consumers.
Its current range of vehicles is led by the ever-popular Swift. The fifth highest-selling car in NZ last year, the Swift is an affordable and zippy runaround that is available in three models, including a hybrid and a Sport model.
Also perfect for the city is the super-compact Ignis SUV and the cool Jimny compact 4×4. Those looking for a more family friendly, spacious SUV can choose between the Vitara and S-Cross models.
Car marque MG is a newcomer to Canstar Blue’s Car Awards, and its position at No.2 is indicative of how popular the Chinese brand has become in New Zealand.
MG earns predominantly 5-Star ratings across our award categories, plus two great 4-Star ratings, for Point of Sale Service and Overall Satisfaction. It’s worth noting that MG’s focus on delivering great value motor cars is reflected in its 5-Star rating for Value for Money. MG is the only car brand on our table to score the top rating in that category.
The reborn MG marque has been a hit in NZ over the past few years, due to its competitive pricing, especially for its EVs. The petrol MG ZS and the electric MG ZS EV have regularly been on top-selling car lists.
MG’s range includes hybrids, EVs and petrol-engine cars encompassing SUVs and compact city cars, including the ZS, HS MG3 and MG4 models, plus the new Cyberster EV roadster.
Ford won our top award back in 2020, and this year it earns a great set of 4-Star ratings across all our ratings categories, except one: Driving Experience, for which it earns a top 5-Star rating from its customers.
In third place on our award table, Ford is the only car marque to earn a top 5-Star rating in any category, other than MG and our winner Suzuki.
Ford’s Ranger has been the top-selling ute in New Zealand for the past two years, while its SUV, the Everest, is one of our most popular large SUVs.
While Ford’s smaller vehicles, the Escape and Puma are less popular, last year its sporty Mustang Mach-E EV muscled into third position on the year’s top-selling EV chart.
Toyota is the nation’s top-selling car brand, comprising 24% of the passenger market last year. On our award table, based on consumer satisfaction, the Japanese car manufacturer sits in fourth place, with a great set of ratings from its many contented customers: 4-Star ratings across every category.
Toyota has long been a favourite on Kiwi roads, thanks to established models such as the Corolla and Camry. Last year the car brand dominated the Top 10 list of best-selling cars: its RAV4 model was the No.1 selling car, while its Corolla and Yaris Cross models sat at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.
Toyota is best known for its dependable SUVs and 4WDs. These include the mid-range Yaris Cross, C-HR, Corolla Cross and RAV4 models, as well as the high-end Highlander and Land Cruiser.
Toyota’s new passenger models are predominantly hybrid vehicles. It does retail one EV, the cryptically named bZ4X.
Honda earns a great 4-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction, which it backs up further 4-Star ratings all our award categories.
Honda’s range of cars includes the Jazz, a small hatch/SUV, and the HR-V, ZR-V and CR-V SUVs, all of which are available in petrol and hybrid models. And, of course, there’s the iconic Civic, which is also available as the sporty Type R.
Sitting at the centre point on our table, Mazda earns 3 Stars for Overall Satisfaction and Value for Money. Across all other categories, Mazda earns great 4-Star ratings.
Editor’s Notes
Mazda is well known for its Mazda2 (small hatch) and Mazda3 (medium hatch/sedan), plus its iconic CX range of SUVs, which starts with the small CX-3 and expands through the medium CX-5, to the large CX-80 and CX-90 models.
Mazda’s range includes hybrid models, the MX-5 roadster, and a ute, the BT-50.
Kia has won our Most Satisfied Customers Award | New Cars three times, in 2013, 2019 and 2023. This year Kia earns 4-Star ratings across all categories except Overall Satisfaction, for which it earns a 3-Star rating.
However, while 3 Stars isn’t a top rating, it’s definitely not an indication of dissatisfaction. Rather it shows that Kia’s customers are happy with the overall levels of satisfaction delivered by their car purchases.
Kia sells a wide variety of vehicles, from the small Picanto and Stonic models, through to the large Carnival people mover, and its flagship EV range, the EV3 to EV6 models and EV9, its top-of-the-range luxury SUV.
However, most of Kia’s models are mid-range SUVs that offer true value and come packed with the latest tech and safety features. These vehicles include the Sorento, Niro, Sportage and Seltos models.
Mitsubishi earns two 3-Star ratings, for Overall Satisfaction and Value for Money. In all our other award categories, it receives great 4-Star ratings.
Mitsubishi’s SUV range has grown over recent years to include the ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander, each of which features in the top-10 list of NZ’s best-selling cars for 2024: ASX (No.2), Outlander (No.3), Eclipse Cross (No.6).
Sitting atop Mitsubishi’s family of vehicles, alongside the Outlander, the Pajero Sport is a large, luxury 4WD. And Mitsubishi’s Triton remains popular with tradies, and the country’s No.3 selling ute.
Hyundai is the majority owner of the Kia Corporation. However on our awards table Hyundai receives a greater proportion of 3-Star ratings, including for Overall Satisfaction and Value for Money. The Korean car company earns its best scores, 4 Stars, for Driving Experience and Reliability.
Hyundai’s range of popular SUVS, the Santa FE, Tucson and Kona, are now all hybrids. Petrol-only models include Hyundai’s compact SUV, the Venue, its i20N hot hatch and the Palisade Series 2 luxury SUV. For EV buyers, Hyundai offers the Ioniq 5N.
Nissan earns four 4-Star ratings from its customers, plus two 3-Star scores, for Overall Satisfaction and Value for Money.
Nissan has some quirky cars in its range, including the Juke, a small SUV, and the Z sports car.
But the car brand’s popularity lies in its medium to large SUV options. These include the Qashqai, X-Trail, Pathfinder, Patrol and X-Trail models.
And don’t forget the Navara, the country’s fourth most popular ute, available in single or twin cabs!
Rounding out our awards table is BMW. Despite being a luxury European car marque, BMW takes home five 5-Star ratings, and just one 4-Star rating, for After Sale Service.
However, as we mention above, those 3-Star ratings reveal that the BMW customers in our survey are happy with the general levels of value and service they’ve received.
A BMW used to be one of the three Bs all Kiwis aspiring for the high life wanted to own, along with a boat and a bach. However, in recent years, BMW has somewhat lost its crown of Teutonic auto excellence to Audi. However, BMW still sells a huge range of cars here in NZ, covering EV, hybrid, petrol and diesel models.
The main range spans the numbers 1 to 8, and covers mainly sedans and coupés. For NZ’s favourite type of car, the SUV, you need to look to BMW’s X Series. And if you want more speed and handling, BMW’s M range of sporty vehicles delivers power and performance … at a price.
For EV buyers, BMW’s i Series offers two models, the i5 xDrive Sedan and the i5 Gran Coupé.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more popular brands to check out before buying a new car:
Audi retails a wide range of models in New Zealand, including many electric and hybrid vehicles.
The A range includes sedans, sportback models plus performance Avant vehicles, including Audi’s RS 6 Avant GT and Avant Performance. Audi’s Q range offers spacious, luxurious SUVs.
In just under three years Chinese car manufacturer BYD has become one of NZ’s most popular car companies, and its BYD Atto 3 one of the country’s top-selling EVs.
Its newer models include the popular Dolphin, Seal and Sealion 7 EVs. BYD’s two hybrid models are the Sealion 6 and its new ute, the Shark 6.
The Mercedes-Benz range covers sedans, the E- and S-Class; SUVs across electric EQ vehicles and G-Class models; an A-Class hatch; and C-Class coupés and a cabriolet. There are also performance AMG models and luxurious Mercedes-Maybach options.
Needless to say, none are priced to appeal to the budget conscious.
Skodas used to be rare sights on NZ roads, but that’s all changed, in part due to the Czech automobile manufacturer, which is part of the Volkswagen group, replacing Holden as the NZ police’s major car supplier.
Its hatch models include the Fabia and Scala, while its wagons include the Octavia and Superb. It has two smaller SUVs, the Kamiq and Karoq, plus the large Kodiaq.
Subaru is famous for its all-wheel-drive vehicles: the compact Crosstrek, the mid-size Forester, and the larger Outback. Also for its iconic sporty models: the Impreza, WRX and new BRZ.
And while the Forester and Crosstrek are already available as hybrids, Subaru has a new EV in its range, the Solterra, which was designed in partnership with Toyota and the bZ4X.
Tesla’s sales, like those of all EVs, slumped here in 2024, down around 75%. But Tesla is still New Zealand’s most-loved EV brand.
The Model Y was the No.1 selling EV last year, and the Model 3 was the second most-purchased EV. And with a refreshed Model Y in its showroom, Tesla is sure to keep its No.1 position in 2025.
Volkswagen sells a huge range of cars and trucks here in NZ. While its Golf and Polo models are iconic small city cars, its SUV range covers the luxury Touareg, compact T‑Roc, the popular Tiguan, plus the EV ID4 and ID5 SUVs.
Volkswagen also sells a range of people movers, a California campervan and the Amarok ute.
There are many things to consider when purchasing a new car, but our research highlights two main factors behind new car buyers’ satisfaction levels with their vehicles: how their cars drive, and their reliability.
Most modern cars are pretty reliable. In return for regular servicing, we can expect well over a decade of worry-free motoring from most new cars.
However, driving experiences do differ greatly between vehicles. And, of course, nowadays, how a car drives covers much more than just accelerating, braking and steering. It includes smart safety features, Bluetooth and phone connectivity, as well as high-tech entertainment and navigation systems.
Therefore, it’s understandable that Driving Experience is the No.1 concern for the majority of Kiwis in our survey (36%) when rating their new cars, placing higher than Vehicle Reliability (24%) and Value for Money (16%).
Here’s the full rundown of what Kiwi drivers say are the main things they consider when rating their new car purchases:
Listed above are the top-rated cars, as ranked by Kiwi consumers, in Canstar Blue’s 2025 New Cars Award. But here are the top-selling charts for cars, electric cars and utes for 2024. Numbers sold shown in brackets.
| Top Selling Cars 2024 |
| 1 Toyota RAV 4 (10,533) |
| 2 Mitsubishi ASX (3763) |
| 3 Mitsubishi Outlander (3248) |
| 4 Kia Seltos (3140) |
| 5 Suzuki Swift (2704) |
| 6 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (2394) |
| 7 Ford Everest (2341) |
| 8 Toyota Corolla (1854) |
| 9 Toyota Yaris Cross (1841) |
| 10 Kia Sportage (1730) |
| Top Selling EVs 2024 |
| 1 Tesla Model Y (826) |
| 2 Tesla Model 3 (461) |
| 3 Ford Mustang Mach-E (452) |
| 4 BYD Atto 3 (383) |
| 5 Nissan Leaf (308) |
| 6 Volkswagen ID.4 (275) |
| 7 MG4 (256) |
| 8 Volkswagen ID.5 (232) |
| 9 Kia EV9 (197) |
| 10 Polestar 2 (188) |
NB: This list includes total electric vehicles (BEV) only, petrol-electric hybrids (PHEV) are not included.
| Top Selling Utes 2024 |
| 1 Ford Ranger (11,748) |
| 2 Toyota Hilux (7296) |
| 3 Mitsubishi Triton (4231) |
| 4 Nissan Navara (1890) |
| 5 Isuzu D-Max (1296) |
Bruce Pitchers is Canstar NZ’s Content Manager. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman. In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB. Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines and newspapers, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.
Key statistics
Warranty was important factor in choice of car: 54%
Know the costs of running their car: 52%
Paid cash for their new car: 46%
Cost and availability of parts was important factor in choice of car: 39%
Used finance to purchase their new car: 31%
Average number of cars in household
Total: 2
Most important car features
| Functionality | Safety | 21% |
| Fuel economy | Price | 18% |
| Brand | 8% |
| Appearance | Speed/Performance | 5% |
| Environmental footprint | 1% |
Where do you get information when buying a new car
| Dealership | 69% |
| Online reviews | 63% |
| Friends/family | 40% |
| Social media | 28% |
| Print media | 13% |
Canstar Blue surveyed 5253 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had bought a brand new car from a dealership in the last three years. In this case, 776 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
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