Czech Republic Full Year 2017: Octavia #1, 4 Skodas in Top 4, record market

The Skoda Octavia has now topped annual Czech sales for 9 straight years. 

* See the Top 50 brands and Top 310 All-models by clicking on the title *

Consult almost 50 years worth of Czech Historical Data here

It’s a fourth consecutive all-time record year for new car sales in the Czech Republic, up 4.5% to 271.595 registrations, however its pace is drastically slowing down after gaining 12.5% in 2016 and 20% in 2015 and 17% in 2014. Still, after falling three times in 2015 and four times in 2016, the all-time monthly record was broken twice in 2017: in March (26.786) and May (27.009). But if 2016 had only one negative month (July), 2017 had five, including the last three months, which means the Czech market is in danger of retracting in 2018 for the first time since 2013.

The Skoda Kodiaq ends its first full year at #7, making it five Skodas in the Top 7.

Keep in mind a significant part of Czech sales (from 10 to 12% of the total market) never see local roads and are immediately re-exported to other parts of the European Union. Home hero Skoda continues to dominate the Czech market but trails the overall growth slightly at +4% resulting in a reduced 31% share. The Top 7 brands and unchanged on 2016 with Volkswagen (+2%), Hyundai (+3%) weak but on the podium followed by Ford (+10%), Dacia (+20%), Renault (+14%) and Kia (+3%). Lada (+58%), Tesla (+50%), Toyota (+49%), Alfa Romeo (+39%), Mini (+38%), Maserati (+27%), Nissan (+24%), Lexus (+22%), Mercedes (+18%), Porsche (+16%) and BMW (+15%) also shine further down the ranking.

The Skoda Karoq is the most popular 2017 launch, peaking at #8 in November. 

The Skoda Octavia celebrates nine consecutive years in the Czech models pole position but drops 5% this year to a round 10% share. For the first time since October 2015, it was toppled in the monthly charts by the Skoda Fabia in May. The Fabia itself skids 2% to 7.8% but remains a comfortable #2 ahead of the Rapid (+9%) and Superb (-21%), making the Top Four 100% Skoda for the second year in a row and ever. Skoda even managed to monopolise the Top 6 best-sellers for the first time in history in May. The Skoda Kodiaq post an outstanding first full year in its home market at #7 with just under 2% share, making it six Skodas in the annual Top 7, the brand’s second best-ever result below 2012 when it placed 5 nameplates in the annual Top 6. The Kodiaq peaked at #5 in April but was outsold by the brand’s other new SUV, the Karoq, over the last two months of the year. The Karoq peaked at #8 in November and ends 2017 at #36, by far the most popular all-new launch for 2017.

The Hyundai i30 tops foreign nameplates in the Czech Republic for the third year in a row.

The Hyundai i30 is the best-selling foreign nameplate in the Czech Republic for the third consecutive year despite sales down 6% to end the year just 39 units above the VW Golf (+15%), with the Dacia Duster (+11%), VW Passat (-11%) and Hyundai ix20 (+2%) in tow. The Ford Focus (+27%), Nissan Qashqai (+34%), Dacia Sandero (+31%), Renault Clio (+21%), VW Tiguan (+48%), Touran (+39%), Dacia Dokker (+25%), Peugeot 2008 (+21%), Ford Kuga (+287%) and BMW 5 Series (+99%) also shine in the Top 50. The Ford Ka+ (#78) and Opel Crossland X (#97) are the only two other 2017 launches to make it into the Czech Top 100 this year.

Previous month: Czech Republic November 2017: Skoda Karoq up to #8, best-selling SUV

Previous year: Czech Republic Full Year 2016: 4 Skodas in Top 4 for the first time, record market

Two years ago: Czech Republic Full Year 2015: Skoda Octavia resists Fabia, record market

Full Year 2017 Top 50 brands and Top 310 All-models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 40 brands and Top 265 All-models below.