Japan Cars vs Mainly Cars:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Mainly Cars had more branded searches than Japan Cars among palmerston north used car dealerships in New Zealand. Mainly Cars was estimated to have 520 branded searches compared to Japan Cars’ 210, and held a 14.9% Share of Search versus Japan Cars’ 6%.
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Which is more popular in search, Japan Cars or Mainly Cars?
Compare Palmerston North used car dealerships using branded search demand from across 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.
Share of Search by month for Mainly Cars, Japan Cars. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Ian Humphrey Motors | Mainly Cars | Yes Cars | Japan Cars | Imported Carz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 69.1% | 11% | 12% | 4.2% | 3.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 56.3% | 15.2% | 17.9% | 4.2% | 6.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 56.9% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 7.2% | 4.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 52.5% | 17.8% | 17.2% | 7.3% | 5.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.3% | 18% | 20.7% | 4.8% | 6.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 50.6% | 20.4% | 18.3% | 5.2% | 5.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 45.9% | 19% | 20.4% | 7.1% | 7.5% |
| May 2026 | 59.6% | 15.8% | 12.4% | 5.3% | 6.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 63.6% | 13.6% | 12% | 4.2% | 6.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 60.1% | 15% | 13.9% | 4.8% | 6.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 66.2% | 14.9% | 9.5% | 6% | 3.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Japan Cars and Mainly Cars comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Mainly Cars was ahead of Japan Cars in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Japan Cars’ estimated Share of Search among palmerston north used car dealerships in New Zealand moved from 4.2% to 6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 170 to 210.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Mainly Cars’ estimated Share of Search among palmerston north used car dealerships in New Zealand moved from 11% to 14.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450 to 520.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand palmerston north used car dealerships in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Japan Cars overtook Imported Carz to rank 4th among palmerston north used car dealerships in New Zealand, at 6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Mainly Cars in New Zealand rose 15.6% over 11 measured months, from 450 to 520 in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Japan Cars’ and Mainly Cars’ 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.
Japan Cars
1 branded search term
- japan cars palmerston north
Mainly Cars
4 branded search terms
- mainly cars
- mainly cars nz
- mainly cars palmerston north
- mainly cars used cars
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.