Looking back at the motoring landscape of 2025, it has certainly been an interesting year.
For those at the sharp end of the industry — selling new cars— 2025 brought a welcome recovery in demand nationally, especially in the latter part of the year, after the challenges of 2024. However, for businesses reliant on used imports, times remain tough. Once the final totals are tallied early next month, 2025 will almost certainly be confirmed as the lightest year for used import registrations since 2012.
Even within the new car market, the picture is uneven — not so much in the types of vehicles we’re buying, but in the brands. China is now the world’s largest car producer by a massive margin, and the rapid expansion of Chinese marques available here has been a defining feature of 2025, one that looks set to continue into 2026.
This year has also been a watershed for Kiwi motorsport. Liam Lawson became the first New Zealander to complete a full Formula One season since Brendon Hartley in 2018. More significantly, Lawson is set to become the first Kiwi in more than half a century to start a second consecutive full season in F1 next year.
Alongside Lawson’s success — something I’ve commented on extensively throughout the year — came a late piece of exciting news: Hayden Paddon has been recalled to the top echelon of the World Rally Championship by Hyundai after an eight-year hiatus. Prompted by Estonian Ott Tanak’s decision to retire, Paddon’s return for a limited WRC programme is a fitting reward for his perseverance, including title-winning campaigns in the European championship in 2023 and 2024, and success in Australia this year.
To say I’m pleased for Paddon and his co-driver John Kennard would be an understatement; I’m absolutely thrilled. At this stage, they’re guaranteed at least three events, sharing the third Hyundai works car, starting with the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in late January.
Hyundai has also drafted in fellow veterans Dani Sordo and Esapekka Lappi to support regular drivers Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, both retained for full-time drives in 2026. After Paddon contests Monte Carlo, Lappi will take on Rally Sweden, and Sordo will tackle round three, the Islas Rally Canarias. How the remaining rounds will be divided among the trio is yet to be confirmed.
Coincidentally, on the same weekend that Paddon and Kennard compete at Monte Carlo, Toyota’s former double world rally champion Harri Rovanpera will line up in Invercargill for round three of the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy at Teretonga Raceway. The following weekend, Rovanpera will be in Paddon’s hometown of Cromwell for the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands Park.
There’s a certain irony in the fact that as Kiwi ace Paddon resumes world championship rallying in Europe, Finland’s Rovanpera will be here in the lower South Island, starting his bid to switch from rallying to Formula One. And the idea that racing in our Toyota single-seater series is a proven pathway to F1 glory is now beyond doubt — the 2016 champion was a promising youngster named Lando Norris.
As I sign off for the year, I’d like to repeat my usual festive-season plea: drive with vigilance, courtesy, and patience. These qualities go a long way toward reducing stress on crowded roads and ensuring a safe holiday period. Maintaining a safety-first mindset is also helped by practical measures such as allowing plenty of time for journeys, avoiding distractions like mobile phones, and keeping speeds appropriate to road and traffic conditions. If you can, consider travelling at times when roads are less busy. And for those towing or driving at a more sedate pace, please keep an eye on your mirrors and pull over, when safe, to let others pass.
David Thomson
Editor
Drivesouth
