Spain Full Year 2012: Seat Ibiza and Nissan Qashqai resist, Volkswagen now #1 brand in worst year since 1986

The Seat Ibiza is the best-selling vehicle in Spain for the 11th time.

May 2020 update: Now with Top 445 All-models ranking.

A totally hellish year for the Spanish new car market, testing new lows at 699,589 registrations, down 13% on 2011 and the weakest level since 1986 or exactly 30 years, so so far away from the 1,647,837 units in 2005, the best year on record. For the 11th time ever and the 4th in a row, the Seat Ibiza is the most popular model at home albeit down a worrying 23% year-on-year to 23,916 sales and 3.4%. It topped the monthly ranking 4 times in 2012 but has however not been #1 since June.

Nissan Qashqai

The Nissan Qashqai handles beautifully, down ‘only’ 9% to improve its market share to 3.2% at 22,281 units. Before 2012, it had only topped the monthly Spanish ranking once, but did so 4 times this year: in January, July, August and November. The Renault Megane stays #3 (-13%) and ranked #1 in May and September. The Citroen C4 is up 5 spots to #8 with 16,196 sales and we have to go down to #14 and the Citroen C3 to find a model actually gaining ground on 2011: up 10% and 4 ranks. Note the Renault Clio ranked #1 in October for potentially the first time in 20 years, boosted by the arrival of the 4th gen.

Range Rover Evoque

The Ford C-Max is up 11% to #17, the Dacia Sandero up 47% and 20 spots to #18, helped by a fantastic month of December, the Peugeot 208 lands directly at #20 with 9,690 units, even leading the market in December… Other gainers within the Top 100 include the Hyundai ix35 up 29% to #22, the Nissan Juke up 6% to #30, Kia Sportage up 7% to #31, VW Tiguan up 64% to #32, Audi A1 up 12% to #38, Fiat 500 up 39% to #40, Mercedes B-Class up 51% to #42, Audi Q3 up 632% to #47 for its first full year of sales and the Range Rover Evoque up 370% to a brilliant #52 spot.

Dacia Sandero. Dacia sales are up 15% in Spain in 2012

Brand-wise, it’s a total change of guard at the top: Volkswagen is now the most popular carmaker in the country with 62,521 sales and 8.9% share, ahead of Peugeot at 55,649 and 8% while Seat, leader in 2011, is down 25% to #3 with 54,870 sales and 7.8%. Both Renault and Citroen grab 7.5% of the Spanish market and are up one spot, taking advantage of Ford crumbling down at -21% to #6. Audi is up 2 ranks to #8, Hyundai up 5% to #11, Dacia up 15% to #15 and Land Rover up 28% to #20.

Previous post: Spain December 2012: Peugeot 208 jumps on top, Dacia Sandero up to #3

Previous year: Spain Full Year 2011: Seat Ibiza #1 for 5th time in lowest market in 18 years

Full Year 2012 Top 60 All-brands and Top 445 All-models vs. Full Year 2011 figures below.