Brandwave

BMW vs Volkswagen:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?

In August 2026, BMW and Volkswagen were level on Share of Search among car brands in New Zealand, with an estimated 38.5K versus 37.7K branded searches, at 3.1% and 3% estimated Share of Search.

Share of Search among car brands in New Zealand in August 2026Which is more popular in search, BMW or Volkswagen?
BMW3.1%38.5K searches
vs
Volkswagen3%37.7K searches

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Which is more popular in search, BMW or Volkswagen?

Compare automotive marques sought by New Zealanders for new and used cars, utes, and SUVs, using branded searches made in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

BMW and Volkswagen among car brands in New Zealand, by month

Share of Search by month for BMW, Volkswagen. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthToyotaMitsubishiBYDFordMazdaHondaTeslaKiaNissanBMWSubaruVolkswagenAudiMercedes-BenzSuzukiHyundaiPorscheLamborghiniZeekrLand RoverLexusHoldenJaecooGWMJeepFerrariAston MartinJaguarSkodaCheryGeelyVolvoMclarenDodgeRolls-RoyceHavalMGDenzaLeapmotorPeugeotIsuzuCupraXPENGChevroletMINIDongfengPolestarLDVMahindraBentleyCadillacAlfa RomeoFiatMaseratiGMCKGMDaihatsuLotusChryslerInfinitiGenesisRenaultCitroenTankDatsunRAMSmartHummerIneosOpelAbarthSaabTVRSeatMorganOraCaterhamJacLadaLincolnAlpineDSPlymouthRoverAustinProtonPontiac
Oct 202514.1%4.9%2.6%4.5%4.1%4%3.4%3.5%3.9%3.3%3.2%3.2%2.9%2.7%3%2.6%2.5%1.8%0.8%1.5%1.3%1.3%0.75%0.83%1%1%0.81%0.91%0.86%0.58%0.3%0.86%1.3%0.88%0.69%0.88%0.74%0.12%0.49%0.68%0.7%0.68%0.19%0.56%0.52%0.21%0.66%0.39%0.52%0.5%0.42%0.36%0.4%0.44%0.36%0.4%0.25%0.26%0.35%0.28%0.17%0.28%0.25%0.29%0.24%0.18%0.16%0.14%0.17%0.15%0.06%0.1%0.09%0.06%0.05%0.04%0.03%0.05%0.05%0.05%0.03%0.04%0.03%0.02%0.01%0.01%<0.01%
Nov 202514%4.8%3.1%5%4%3.7%3.1%3.6%3.9%3.1%3.1%3.2%2.6%2.8%2.9%2.5%2.6%2.1%0.64%1.5%1.2%1.4%0.77%0.82%1%1.1%0.83%0.88%0.94%0.58%0.32%0.89%1.4%0.86%0.71%0.73%0.84%0.23%0.43%0.65%0.67%0.63%0.27%0.48%0.55%0.54%0.63%0.38%0.44%0.45%0.43%0.37%0.42%0.45%0.37%0.37%0.25%0.3%0.3%0.26%0.17%0.28%0.25%0.19%0.24%0.17%0.12%0.14%0.18%0.13%0.07%0.1%0.08%0.06%0.06%0.03%0.04%0.05%0.03%0.03%0.02%0.05%0.02%0.01%0.01%0.01%<0.01%
Dec 202514%4.9%2.8%4.5%3.9%4.2%3%3.8%3.4%3.2%3.2%2.9%2.7%2.9%2.9%2.5%2.4%1.8%0.66%1.4%1.4%1.3%0.73%0.86%1%1%0.73%1%0.93%0.66%0.35%0.88%1.2%0.79%0.6%0.84%0.84%0.68%0.43%0.7%0.71%0.72%0.19%0.58%0.57%0.36%0.65%0.39%0.48%0.55%0.46%0.38%0.42%0.49%0.41%0.4%0.26%0.28%0.4%0.27%0.16%0.29%0.25%0.23%0.27%0.17%0.13%0.15%0.23%0.2%0.07%0.09%0.09%0.05%0.06%0.04%0.04%0.05%0.03%0.03%0.03%0.06%0.02%0.01%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Jan 202615%4.9%3.8%4.9%4.3%4%3.1%4.2%3.5%2.8%3.2%3%2.6%2.9%2.9%2.6%2%1.4%0.59%1.4%1.4%1.2%0.84%0.97%0.97%0.97%0.7%0.76%0.92%0.62%0.34%0.9%0.82%0.7%0.63%0.84%0.93%0.53%0.44%0.66%0.67%0.66%0.28%0.46%0.51%0.32%0.6%0.37%0.48%0.4%0.4%0.35%0.38%0.42%0.35%0.38%0.27%0.27%0.3%0.24%0.17%0.25%0.25%0.2%0.22%0.18%0.14%0.12%0.16%0.14%0.07%0.09%0.08%0.06%0.04%0.04%0.04%0.05%0.04%0.04%0.03%0.07%0.02%0.02%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Feb 202615.4%5%3%4.3%4.5%4.2%2.8%3.8%3.5%3%3.2%3.2%2.7%2.7%2.9%2.6%2.3%1.7%0.72%1.3%1.4%1.3%0.82%0.83%0.97%1%0.69%0.7%0.97%0.66%0.38%0.85%0.88%0.81%0.6%0.78%0.83%0.5%0.38%0.71%0.71%0.66%0.33%0.53%0.52%0.39%0.52%0.41%0.42%0.43%0.42%0.37%0.39%0.4%0.37%0.37%0.27%0.24%0.33%0.33%0.19%0.28%0.26%0.22%0.22%0.17%0.15%0.13%0.17%0.14%0.07%0.1%0.08%0.05%0.06%0.04%0.04%0.05%0.04%0.05%0.03%0.04%0.02%0.02%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Mar 202613.4%4.4%7.1%3.7%3.5%3.6%5%3.9%3.8%3%2.6%2.7%2.3%2.6%2.6%2.5%2.1%1.6%1.3%1.2%1.3%1.1%1%0.88%0.75%0.85%0.64%0.68%0.86%0.81%0.7%0.86%0.83%0.65%0.55%0.86%0.98%0.37%0.6%0.58%0.58%0.6%0.55%0.44%0.48%1.4%1%0.34%0.37%0.4%0.43%0.29%0.4%0.31%0.3%0.29%0.24%0.21%0.23%0.22%0.14%0.26%0.22%0.18%0.21%0.13%0.18%0.12%0.14%0.14%0.09%0.08%0.07%0.04%0.04%0.05%0.03%0.06%0.03%0.03%0.03%0.03%0.02%0.01%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Apr 202613.3%4.6%6.9%3.7%3.3%3.5%4.7%3.7%3.3%2.8%2.7%2.9%2.2%2.4%2.6%2.5%2.2%1.5%1.6%1.1%1.2%1.4%1.2%0.94%0.76%0.81%0.66%0.73%0.86%0.95%0.83%0.96%0.73%0.71%0.65%0.83%0.89%0.47%0.72%0.61%0.54%0.6%0.64%0.61%0.5%1.3%0.83%0.35%0.38%0.39%0.4%0.33%0.37%0.34%0.33%0.28%0.25%0.23%0.25%0.25%0.16%0.25%0.21%0.2%0.19%0.15%0.19%0.13%0.13%0.15%0.07%0.09%0.08%0.05%0.05%0.04%0.03%0.05%0.04%0.04%0.02%0.03%0.01%0.02%0.01%0.01%<0.01%
May 202614.3%5%5%3.9%3.6%3.6%3.7%4.2%3.1%3.1%2.9%3.3%2.5%2.4%2.6%2.3%2.4%1.8%1.4%1.4%1.4%1.1%0.96%0.93%0.84%1.2%0.75%0.81%0.75%0.75%0.65%0.97%0.72%0.68%0.67%0.82%0.71%0.54%0.6%0.63%0.61%0.77%0.52%0.46%0.49%0.65%0.76%0.3%0.34%0.47%0.41%0.38%0.39%0.36%0.34%0.29%0.3%0.28%0.26%0.3%0.15%0.22%0.22%0.19%0.2%0.14%0.19%0.14%0.13%0.13%0.07%0.09%0.08%0.05%0.04%0.04%0.05%0.05%0.05%0.04%0.02%0.03%0.02%0.01%0.02%0.01%<0.01%
Jun 202613.4%5.1%5.1%4.2%3.8%3.9%3.7%3.5%3.2%3.1%3.3%2.9%2.6%2.7%2.5%2.4%2.3%1.7%1.1%1.3%1.2%1.4%0.78%1%0.91%1.1%0.81%0.87%0.73%0.7%0.55%0.97%0.8%0.74%0.74%0.81%0.76%0.45%0.73%0.62%0.7%1.1%0.44%0.54%0.53%0.54%0.64%0.34%0.36%0.44%0.45%0.36%0.35%0.38%0.39%0.36%0.27%0.26%0.28%0.29%0.17%0.24%0.23%0.19%0.19%0.19%0.17%0.13%0.15%0.12%0.06%0.1%0.08%0.06%0.05%0.04%0.03%0.08%0.04%0.03%0.03%0.03%0.01%0.01%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Jul 202613.4%5%4.2%4.4%3.9%3.9%3.5%3.6%3.2%3.1%3.2%2.8%2.5%2.5%2.5%2.6%2.5%1.7%1.1%1.6%1.3%1.1%1%1.1%0.87%1.1%0.84%0.71%0.74%0.74%0.7%0.81%1%0.73%0.66%0.78%0.81%0.58%0.63%1%0.62%0.83%0.82%0.47%0.46%0.52%0.59%0.34%0.37%0.44%0.42%0.38%0.76%0.4%0.37%0.36%0.27%0.24%0.24%0.29%0.25%0.24%0.22%0.24%0.18%0.18%0.16%0.14%0.13%0.13%0.07%0.1%0.07%0.05%0.06%0.04%0.03%0.05%0.03%0.03%0.05%0.03%0.01%0.01%0.01%<0.01%0.03%
Aug 202613.8%4.9%4.3%4.2%4.2%3.7%3.5%3.3%3.3%3.1%3.1%3%2.7%2.6%2.6%2.5%2.5%1.6%1.5%1.4%1.4%1.2%1.1%1%1%1%0.9%0.85%0.83%0.82%0.8%0.8%0.75%0.73%0.72%0.71%0.71%0.65%0.64%0.62%0.59%0.57%0.55%0.52%0.5%0.5%0.49%0.48%0.46%0.42%0.42%0.41%0.37%0.37%0.35%0.3%0.27%0.27%0.27%0.25%0.24%0.23%0.23%0.22%0.19%0.17%0.16%0.15%0.14%0.12%0.1%0.08%0.07%0.05%0.05%0.04%0.04%0.04%0.04%0.03%0.03%0.02%0.02%0.02%0.01%<0.01%<0.01%
Sep 2026———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

How has the BMW and Volkswagen comparison changed over the last 12 months?

  • The lead changed hands 6 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Volkswagen took it in November 2025, BMW took it in December 2025, Volkswagen took it in January 2026, BMW took it in March 2026, Volkswagen took it in April 2026, BMW took it in June 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, BMW’s estimated Share of Search among car brands in New Zealand moved from 3.3% to 3.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.9K to 38.5K.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Volkswagen’s estimated Share of Search among car brands in New Zealand moved from 3.2% to 3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 39.4K to 37.7K.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand car brands in August 2026?

  1. In August 2026, BMW rose from 11th to 10th among car brands in New Zealand.

How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BMW’s and Volkswagen’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

BMW

17 branded search terms

  • bmw
  • bmw car
  • bmw cars
  • bmw i4
  • bmw i8
  • bmw ix
  • bmw ix3
  • bmw m2
  • bmw m3
  • bmw m4
  • bmw m5
  • bmw new zealand
  • bmw nz
  • bmw x1
  • bmw x3
  • bmw x5
  • bmw x7

Volkswagen

15 branded search terms

  • volkswagen
  • volkswagen amarok
  • volkswagen caddy
  • volkswagen car
  • volkswagen cars
  • volkswagen golf
  • volkswagen id 4
  • volkswagen new zealand
  • volkswagen nz
  • volkswagen passat
  • volkswagen polo
  • volkswagen t roc
  • volkswagen tiguan
  • volkswagon
  • vw

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

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