Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena were the overall reigning rally winners.

[3] Citroën Total World Rally Team, the team they drove for in 2012, when Rally New Zealand held a World Rally Championship event last time, were the defending manufacturers' winners.

[3] However, they would not defend the rally either as they withdrew from the championship at the end of 2019.

[5] However, concerns regarding whether the rally should be held were raised in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[6] On 4 June 2020, it was officially announced that the rally would not be held in 2020, but a 2021 event is expected.