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What did motorists of the Old World actively buy this year?
For several years in a row, only one car has ruled the ball on our market. The KIA Sportage crossover gained popularity immediately after the current generation was presented in Ukraine, and after that, it practically did not concede the top spot in the new car market. Only according to last year's results, it lost first place to Renault Duster. But in 2019, everything returned to its place again.
Oddly enough, we are actually the only carriers in Europe of such a strong attachment to the Korean crossover. Except that in Cyprus, Estonia and Ireland it still somehow holds on to the Top 10 sales, but the leading positions in most European countries are occupied by completely different models. And this is clearly visible in the recent report of the analytical company JATO Dynamics.
Skoda Octavia
Since the beginning of 2019, the well-known Skoda Octavia in Ukraine has become the best-selling passenger car in five European countries, and in another eleven it occupies one of the Top 10 sales places! The huge popularity of the Czech bestseller in his homeland could still be predicted, but the first place in such countries as Austria, Switzerland, Finland and Poland was a real surprise.
It is interesting that in Germany - a country with a traditionally strong car market - "Octavia" was able to take only the seventh position. True, if you pay attention to the number of sales "in pieces", you can see that the Germans bought almost as many cars of this model as the buyers of the five mentioned countries together: a little less than 31 thousand cars.
As for Ukraine, our Skoda Octavia is still on the fifth step. In the first ten months of this year, it sold 1448 copies in our country. Not to say that there are many, but there are countries in Europe where the market leaders are sold in even smaller quantities.
Renault Clio
It seems that Renault Clio is not supplied to our country only because it sells well even without us. According to the results of last year, this model took second place in European sales and was located right after the Volkswagen Golf. As for 2019, it is also shaping up very well for a hatchback.
In its homeland alone, the new Clio sold 72 units, which made it the best-selling car in France. In addition, great love for this hatchback was demonstrated by the Portuguese, Belgians and our neighbors - the Slovenians. True, the sales volume there is more modest.
The French hatchback was able to occupy a position in the Top 10 in 10 European countries. The largest market in this list is Italy, where 2019 fans bought the new Clio in 26. The hatchback showed the third highest result in sunny Spain – 299 cars sold. But the Germans are boycotting this car in every possible way: enough of their own!
Nissan Qashqai
Well, let's go back to the cars we know. In Ukraine, Nissan Qashqai is in eighth place after seven months of this year - between Renault Sandero and Land Cruiser Prado, but in Europe, the Japanese crossover can boast of much more serious successes.
For example, the Nissan Qashqai is particularly popular in three old-world markets: Denmark, Cyprus and Ireland. However, leadership in these countries does not bring special dividends to the Japanese. Out of these three countries, the SUV showed the highest sales in Denmark - as many as 4 units, and in Cyprus, to become the market leader, Nissan needed to sell only 123 crossovers.
The Japanese earn much more money in countries where the crossover simply entered the Top 10 sales. By the way, there were as many as eight of them. Only in Britain, where Nissan has its own production facilities, the crossover sold a large volume of 29 units. This is only the fifth place in the country, but we are sure that it pleased the Japanese more than the leadership on a more compact island - Cyprus.
Volkswagen Golf
Another surprise. The absolute leader in terms of pan-European sales in 2018, the owner of many international titles and awards at the end of his tenure was able to occupy the first place in only two countries: Germany and Luxembourg. However, it is unlikely that this upsets the Germans very much. Sales in the homeland alone (88 units) are enough for the management of Volkswagen to calmly prepare for the premiere of the new generation hatchback.
In addition, the car showed good results in eight other countries. The British market gives particularly good results. There, Volkswagen dealers were able to sell 34 cars of this model (493rd place in the country). The hatchback also showed good results in Norway. Moreover, it is not only about quantity. With a result of 3 units, the Golf was able to become the most popular non-electric car in the country.
In Ukraine, the peak of popularity of this model fell at the end of 2017 - the beginning of 2018. The moment when Mexican-made diesel station wagons were supplied to our country at a good price. For a long time there were even queues for such cars, but the scandal related to the certification of these cars greatly reduced the degree of interest in them.
Toyota RAV4
In our country, the Toyota RAV4 crossover has always been warmly treated. Now this model is experiencing another revival of demand, which was caused by the presentation of a new generation of SUV. According to the results of the first seven months of this year, our Toyota dealers were able to sell 2331 copies of the RAV4. This is not enough to displace the same Sportage, but the Japanese still gained a foothold on the third step in Ukraine.
In European markets, the new RAV4 is very popular in Estonia and Lithuania. However, these markets cannot be called significant even with a stretch. If we add up the results of sales in these countries, we will get a little more than one and a half thousand cars, which is noticeably not even up to the level of Ukrainian sales. The situation will not change much if you add to this list 439 crossovers sold in Latvia, where the new RAV4 took third place.
In addition to the Baltic countries, the new generation of the crossover showed good results in three other European countries. But even there, the sales figures do not look as significant as, for example, Qashqai. And it is unlikely that the situation will radically change by the end of the year.
Volkswagen Polo
The Polo hatchback has long held the title of one of the best-selling compact cars on the European continent. True, if earlier this car had to fight only with similar "five-doors", recently the fashion for small cars in Europe is gradually fading.
As a result, the new hatchback was able to take first place only in the Netherlands, where dealers sold 6644 new Polos. Fortunately for him, sales are not limited to the Dutch kingdom alone. So you can not worry about the future fate of the hatchback.
The German compact feels quite good in seven more countries, the list of which includes such large markets as Germany, Great Britain and Italy. 33 units of the new Polo were sold in their homeland alone. A little more than 577 were sold jointly by English and Italian dealers.
Toyota Yaris
The closest competitor of the previous hatchback is not very popular in Ukraine. The second generation of the model sold well in our market, but the third generation, presented in 2010, came to us already in times of crisis, so that there was no question of former records.
In Europe, the new Yaris has a good demand, but it took the leading position in only one country - Greece. Of course, this is not the largest state of the Old World, far from the first in terms of population or per capita income. However, Toyota dealers sold 3446 Yaris there.
As for the countries where the Japanese hatchback was able to take a place in the top ten, there were as many as six. Great Britain stands out very strongly in this list. There, the compact could only take tenth place, but with what a result: 19 Yaris sold! The Greeks didn't even dream...
Toyota Corolla
In Ukraine, Toyota Corolla sales are only gaining momentum, and the only conclusion that emerges from reports on the first registrations of such cars is that this model is in the shadow of its larger relatives: RAV4, Land Cruiser Prado and Camry. However, in the rest of Europe, dealers are already in full swing accepting orders for the new generation of "Japanese cars".
The new "Corolla" is particularly successful in Latvia, where with the change of generations it was possible to increase sales by 184% and hand over 465 cars to customers. Humbly? Well, not more modestly than our 2917 Sportage sold in Ukraine this year, according to the average German or Briton.
In addition to Latvia, five other countries show stable demand for the new Toyota Corolla. Moreover, if we take into account the quantitative indicator, the Poles unexpectedly become the undisputed leader here. There, the car took the fourth position and sold 7886 copies
Skoda Fabia
Despite the fact that Ukrainians have a very warm attitude towards the Skoda brand as a whole, it is worth admitting that in our country the best days of the Czech compact car are behind us. The situation became especially noticeably complicated after the appearance of "Rapid": it is much more spacious and does not differ much in price.
In Europe, the situation is somewhat similar. The most popular "Skoda" there is certainly the new Octavia, but its younger "sister" Fabia has less demand. However, this did not prevent it from taking the first place among our neighbors - in Slovakia, where 2887 such cars were sold.
In addition to Slovakia, the new Fabia was in good and stable demand in two other countries: Poland and the Czech Republic. In both cases, the hatchback took only second place, but with a pleasant result. Our neighbors bought up 9271 Skoda Fabias, and in their homeland, the car sold out in a volume of 10.
Dacia Logan
In Europe, this small Romanian sedan is positioned as a Dacia, while in our country it has been sold under the nameplate of the French Renault brand for quite some time. And it is sold, by the way, very well. In 2019, our compatriots already bought 2079 Logan sedans, which allowed it to secure the fourth position in the rating of Ukrainians' preferences.
It is unlikely that it will come as a surprise to anyone, but it is best to buy a new Logan from European countries in its homeland - in Romania. Although this model was introduced quite a long time ago, sales there increased by 29% for the year - up to 11 cars, and, judging by everything, the situation will not change for the worse in the near future.
As for other markets where this sedan is in good demand, there will be no sensation. Europeans, as before, have a cold attitude towards small sedans and are more actively buying hatchbacks and crossovers. For example, the same Sandero was sold quite well in the countries of Western Europe, although it did not become a sales leader anywhere.
Fiat Panda
The baby Fiat Panda is a real bestseller on the domestic market (79 cars this year). However, there is nothing surprising in this. Italians are generally warm to their own cars. Plus, the Pandas have a couple of good tricks up their sleeve. Firstly, it is very cheap there. For the simplest hatchback, dealers ask from 391 euros, and the top version will cost about 11. Secondly, Fiat Panda is produced in the most popular form factors. Those who want to save money - take a cheap hatchback. At the same time, those who want to stand out buy a small crossover with this name. Moreover, unlike the same Sandero StepWay, the Italian is offered with all-wheel drive.
In addition to the homeland, the new "Panda" is quite often bought in Greece. There, a small hatchback was able to place itself on the third step of the market leaders, but with a much more modest result of 2722 cars sold. It is worth noting that the Italian sitikar's business abroad is not very successful. Sales are down 8 percent for the year, and so far it doesn't look like dealers will be able to fix the situation.
In the Ukrainian market, modern products of the Fiat brand are better known thanks to light commercial vehicles and small sedans. The 500 series also has a few buyers, but Panda is an unknown beast for most of our compatriots. Although the catalog of used cars of this model has already reached several pages.
Tesla Model 3
The most trendy car of recent years helped the American car manufacturer to gain a firm foothold in the European market. It is unlikely that anyone will be very surprised, but the best new electric sedans were bought in Norway (10 units), which traditionally gravitates towards such vehicles.
The Netherlands became the second market where an electric car was able to take a place in the Top 10. The Americans have already shipped 6 sedans there. But in other countries, the American electric car does not have much demand yet - however, judging by the rhetoric of European parliamentarians, the situation will change very soon.
Ukrainians also have mixed feelings about Tesla's products. True, the Model 3 sedan in our country is still selling worse than the "older" Model S. By the way, this year, the latter immediately rose to the second step in the rating of electric cars on the Ukrainian market. Only the Nissan Leaf was bought more than that in our country.
Support yours
Finally, I would like to talk a little about the national flavor: we managed to find several interesting moments. The fact that Norwegians are very fond of electric cars is not news. But now we can estimate how much. The top ten best-selling cars include 7 electric cars and three hybrids. Cars with traditional internal combustion engines are now rarely bought there.
An equally interesting situation can be seen in some other markets. For example, Germans prefer to buy German cars, or at least cars designed by Germans (Skoda). Although, if you take it by brand, it is better to buy Volkswagen there (there are 5 different Volkswagens in the top ten sales of the German market). The same situation can be traced in Austria, where the car manufacturer from Wolfsburg was able to occupy five rows in the top ten at once. The Swedes, who gave "their" (well, almost) Volvo the same 5 positions in the Top 10 sales leaders, did not remain in debt either.
Finally, the Czechs love the domestic car manufacturer the most. There, Skoda cars were able to occupy six positions in the top ten at once. It seems that if Skoda had more models, it would be able to completely absorb the entire domestic market. However, we will soon be able to check it: very recently they started selling the new Scala there and are already accepting orders for the Kamiq crossover.
