Czech Republic Full Year 2013: Octavia #1, Rapid on podium

The Skoda Rapid lands on the Czech podium for its first full year of sales.

May 2020 update: Now with the Top 330 All-models.

Check out 1969-2013 Czech Historical Data here

Czech new car sales are down 5% year-on-year in 2012 to 164,736 registrations. Skoda still dominates the brands ranking of course and manages to maintain itself above 30% share in spite of sales down 7% to 49,973. Exceptional performance of local producer Hyundai, passing Volkswagen to establish itself as the #2 brand in the country thanks to sales up 7% to 16,239, stopping just short of delivering a round 10% market share! Volkswagen is down 2% but improves its share to 9.1%, ahead of Ford at 5.7% (-26%), Peugeot at 4.4% (+8%) and Kia at 3.8%, surprisingly down 26% on 2012. Notice also Dacia up 49% to #9 and Seat  up 63% to #11.

5th consecutive year of reign for the Skoda Octavia at home.

Model-wise, the Skoda Octavia is the most popular vehicle in the Czech Republic for the 5th consecutive year in spite of sales down 19% to 18,189 units and 11% share, its lowest since 2008. The Skoda Fabia remains #2 but is testing new lows this year, feeling its old age a bit: it is down a harsh 31% on 2012 to just 9,890 sales and 6%, the nameplate’s lowest ever annual scores. The big event in the 2013 Czech models ranking is the arrival of the Skoda Rapid directly in third place for its first full year of sales with 8,355 units and 5.1%. The Rapid is here to stay: it climbed onto the podium in January and never left it, peaking at #2 in July, August and November. The big question was whether the Rapid has cannibalised the Octavia and Fabia, and looking a Skoda’s market share (30.9% in 2012, 30.3% in 2013) and the steep declines of the latter two models, the answer is yes.

The Hyundai i30 is the best-selling foreign model for the 2nd year in a row.

2013 marks the third year in the last 4 that Skoda monopolises the models sales charts podium after 2010 and 2011. The Hyundai i30, produced locally in Nošovice, remains the most popular ‘foreign’ model in the country at #4 with 5,045 sales and 3.1% share, new records for the nameplate and boosted by an astounding 2nd place and 5.8% share in December. This is the highest year-end market share achieved by a non-Skoda since the Ford Fusion hit 4.3% in 2009.  The VW Golf is in awesome shape, up 35% and two spots on 2012 to #5 at 4,917 units and 3%, followed by the Skoda Superb (-14%). The Hyundai ix20 up 13% to #7 and Hyundai i20 up 23% to #8 reach their best-ever annual levels and make it 3 Hyundais in the Top 8.

The Seat Leon multiplies its sales by 10 year-on-year in 2013!

Skoda for its part fits its entire range (7 models) inside the Top 11: the Roomster is down 25% to #9, Citigo up 15% to #10 and Yeti down 28% to #11. Other great performers in the Czech Republic this year include the Peugeot 308 up 15 spots and 79% to #14, Dacia Sandero up 88% to #22, the Seat Leon multiplying its sales by 10 year-on-year (!) and up an unbelievable 118 spots to #24, the Ford B-Max up to #27 for its first full year, Honda CR-V up 45% to #31 and Hyundai i40 up 58% to #37. The best-selling all-new model for 2013 is the Dacia Dokker at #73, followed by the Seat Toledo at #90, Kia Carens at #94 and Renault Captur at #96.

Previous post: Czech Republic December 2013: Hyundai i30 shoots up to #2!

Previous year: Czech Republic Full Year 2012: Hyundai i30 on podium for the first time

Two years ago: Czech Republic Full Year 2011: Skoda Octavia, Fabia and Superb on podium again

Full Year 2013 Top 45 brands and Top 330 All-models vs. Full Year 2012 figures below.