It’s the third successive year of market leadership for Isuzu since regaining the top spot from Fuso, which led the 2021 and 2022 registrations. Prior to those two years, Isuzu was New Zealand’s top-selling truck brand for 21 consecutive years.

It was a challenging year for the new truck market. The segment for trucks above 4.5t GVM was 32.17% down compared to 2024 volumes with total numbers falling from 5,488 registrations in 2024 to 3,720 registrations. It’s also the second year of decline from a record peak of 6,183 registrations in 2023.

There was notable growth however in the 3.5-4.5t category with registrations up from 1,330 in 2024 to 1,528 units last year.

Isuzu sold 676 new trucks in 2025, down from 1,065 the previous year with its market share slipping marginally from 19.4% in 2024 to 18.2% last year.

Isuzu’s success is built on leadership in two key segments – the light-duty 4.5-7.5t GVM and 7.5-15t GVM segments. Isuzu dominates with a 39% market share in the 7.5t-15t GVM segment where it achieved 303 registrations.

Those segment leading volumes are supported by ranking seventh in the premium 23t-max GVM segment with 124 registrations in 2025.

During 2025 Isuzu launched new generation N and F Series light- and medium-duty models offering significant safety and powertrain upgrades.

“It was a tough year to launch new product and to balance the run-out of the previous models,” says Isuzu New Zealand General Manager, Dave Ballantyne.

“But we are now 80% of the way through that process with just a few more models still left to come onstream in the next few months. I expect the last of the new models to be in the market around mid-year.

“It’s been great to start to get the new product into the hands of our customers so they can put them to work.”

Ballantyne says the Isuzu dealer network and customer support plays a leading role in the brand’s sales success.

“We have a very strong dealer network that has remained stable over the years, and our dealers play a very large part in our success and the success of our customers,” he says.

While the truck market declined in 2025, the overall new vehicle market showed some resurgence from 2024 with growth in both light commercial (under 3.5t) and passenger segments. The total vehicle market is up 7.0% to reach 137,900 units in 2025.

Among the other truck brands that can look to some success in 2025 are Hino and Kenworth.

Kenworth fortunes have held up strongly against the market decline. In 2024 Kenworth climbed from eighth to third ranking in the 23t-max GVM segment and the rise continued in 2025 to take second place away from Volvo. 

Although Kenworth registrations totals slipped from 249 to 191 units year-on-year, the brand grew its share of the heavy duty segment from 9.9% to 12.1%.

Hino led the 15-20.5t and 20.5-23t segments and totalled 513 registrations, only 75 behind its 2024 volume to achieve a market share increase from 10.7% to 13.8%.

At the opposite end of the rankings the FAW, SANY and Western Star brands each achieved just a single new registration in 2025.

The New Zealand truck market has yet to see the Chinese brands make an impact in the way they have in the passenger and light commercial segments. 

Of the Chinese brands Foton is the commanding leader with 125 registrations, only slightly behind its 2024 total of 142. Next best are JAC and Sinotruk with 17 and 16 new registrations respectively.

The NZ Truck & Driver monthly analysis of new truck and trailer registrations is on P83 of this issue.