Germany Full Year 2017: VW places Golf, Passat and Tiguan on podium

The VW Tiguan signs its very first annual podium while the Skoda Kodiaq is the #1 newcomer.

* See the Top 50 All-brands, Top 375 All-models and Top 50 private sales by clicking on the title *

Consult 70 years worth of German Historical data here

New car sales in Germany are up for the fourth year in a row at +2.7% in 2017 to 3.441.262 units, the largest annual volume this decade, since scrappage scheme-boosted 2009 (3.807.175). Once again, market leader Volkswagen loosens its grip on the brands ranking with a 3% decline leading to a market share down 1.2 percentage point on 2016 to 18.4%. Mercedes on the other hand grows slightly faster than the market at +5% to 9.5% share in 2nd place, hitting an all-time high of 10.6% in August. Audi drops 2% to 8.2% while BMW is up just 0.02% to 7.6% share, peaking at 9.8% in December.

The Mercedes E-Class is up 29% to return to the Top 10. Picture autobild.de 

Ford (+3%) overtakes Opel (-0.03%) for 5th place overall while Skoda (+4%), Renault (+8%), Hyundai (+1%) and Seat (+11%) keep the remainder of the Top 10 identical to 2016. Below, Tesla (+75%), Lada (+57%), Cadillac (+56%), Aston Martin (+50%), Bentley (+46%), Alfa Romeo (+42%), Chevrolet (+36%), Lotus (+32%), Dacia (+28%), Peugeot (+25%), Lexus (+22%), Suzuki (+22%), Lamborghini (+16%), Mitsubishi (+16%) and Toyota (+13%) post some of the largest year-on-year gains whereas Infiniti (-44%), Alpina (-43%), DS (-24%) and Honda (-20%) are the hardest hit.

The VW Golf has now been the best-selling car at home for 42 years.

The VW Golf celebrates 37 consecutive years in the German pole position despite a 3% drop to 6.6% share vs. 7% a year ago. The Golf’s decline would have been much steeper if it weren’t for a rallying back of sales during the last quarter: +22% in October, +24% in November and +28% in December. The Golf has now rank as the annual best-seller in Germany for 42 years: every single year since 1975 apart from one interruption in 1980 by the Mercedes W123. In comparison, the VW Beetle ‘only’ topped the Germany market for 29 consecutive years from 1946 to 1973. In spite of its decline, the Golf tightens its grip on the models ranking: it sells 3.15 times as much as the #2, the VW Passat (-10%) vs. 2.92 times in 2016 and 2.78 times in 2015.

The BMW 5 Series is up 43% thanks to the new generation. 

The VW Tiguan soars 12% and three spots to land on the annual podium for the first time in the history of the nameplate, hitting a record 71.437 units. The Mercedes C-Class (+3%) remains at #4 while the VW Polo (-15%) drops two ranks to #5 and both the Audi A4 (-3%) and Skoda Octavia (+1% to an all-time high 59.147 sales) take advantage of a dismal performance by the Opel Astra (-14%) to rank #6 and #7 respectively. Thanks to the new generation, the Mercedes E-Class surges 29% and 11 spots to #9, the BMW 5 Series is up 43% to #18, the Mercedes GLC is up 50% to #21, with the BMW X1 (+23%), Opel Insignia (+24%) and Dacia Sandero (+35%) also posting spectacular gains in the Top 50.

Boosted by a leasing offer, the Peugeot 208 breaks into the German Top 10 in December.

Boosted by a leasing offer by Sixt at 99€/month, the Peugeot 208 shoots up 445% to #9 in December (an all-time record) and 54% to #56 over the Full Year. Launched in late 2016, the Audi Q2 (+950%) ends its first full year on the German market at #43 while the Toyota C-HR (+1014%) ranks 82nd. The Skoda Kodiaq (#72) is the best-selling all-new launch in Germany for 2017, peaking at #42 in August and September, followed by the Opel Crossland X (#93) peaking at #43 in November, the VW Arteon (#171), Opel Grandland X (#182) and Skoda Karoq (#192).

The Dacia Sandero is up 41% to #6 private sale in Germany in 2017. 

Private sales only represent 35.6% of the total German market in 2017, that’s just 1.225.089 registrations. The VW Golf remains the most popular nameplate with private buyers yet it is down 6% to a weaker 27.9% Private Sales (PS) ratio. The VW Tiguan is up 16% to #2 and 47.6% PS, knocking the VW Polo (-21%) down to #3 at 51.9% PS. The Mini is up 9% to #4 with private buyers, ahead of the Mercedes C-Class (+8%) and the Dacia Sandero up 10 spots and 41% to #6 with a 91.6% PS ratio. The Ford Kuga is up 33% and 11 ranks to #9 with a strong 49.8% PS ratio, the Fiat Ducato is up 12% to #11, the VW Touran up 19% to #13, the Mitsubishi Space Star up 24% to #17, the Audi Q2 lands at #25 for its first full year in market, the Seat Ateca is up 182% to #31 and the Dacia Dokker is up 69% to #48.

Previous month: Germany November 2017: VW Golf up 24% in market up 9.4%

Previous year: Germany Full Year 2016: VW down, Mercedes up in strongest market in 7 years

Two years ago: Germany Full Year 2015: VW Golf celebrates 40 years in pole position

Full Year 2017 Top 50 All-brands, Top 375 All-models and Top 50 private sales s vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 50 All-brands and Top 325 All-models below.