Spain Full Year 2017: Seat Leon wins 4th straight crown in largest market in a decade

The Seat Leon has now ranked #1 annually at home every year since 2014.

* See the Top 55 All-brands and Top 405 All-models by clicking on the title *

Consult 45 years worth of Spanish Historical Data here

Spanish new car registrations post a fifth consecutive year of growth in 2017 but the uplift rate is slowing down: from +21.4% in 2015, to +10.8% in 2016 and +7.6% this year. At 1.241.540 sales, 2017 marks the largest annual volume in Spain in a decade, since the 1.615.201 units of 2007. Spanish sales are now 77% above the low of 2012 (700.562) but remain down 25% on the record high of 2005 (1.647.837). If last year’s annual figure was artificially pushed by rental sales, this year’s outlook is a little more balanced. Company sales pull the market up at +13.3% to 364.179 units and 29.3% share vs. 27.9% in 2016, with rental sales also outperforming at +9.2% to 225.083 and 18.1% share vs. 17.9% a year ago. But once again, private sales lag behind with a 4.2% uplift to 652.278 or 52.5% share vs. 54.3% in 2016 and 56.6% in 2015…

The Seat Ibiza celebrates 23 consecutive years on the annual Spanish podium.

Renault retains the brands annual pole position for the second year running thanks to a strong 12% improvement to 8.2% share, with local fare Seat posting the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 20 at +22% to leap from #5 in 2016 to #2 this year with 7.6% of its home market. Volkswagen (+1%) and Peugeot (+5%) hold onto their positions at #3 and #4 respectively, whereas Opel swaps rankings with Seat at #5 (-3) due to sales down 3%. Below, Citroen (+5%) overtakes Ford (+3%) while Toyota (+19%) overtakes Nissan (+9%) and Kia (+10%) remains 10th. Fiat, Mercedes and BMW also post double-digit gains in the Top 20, while Jeep (+23%), Alfa Romeo (+27%), Maserati (+31%), Suzuki (+32%), Mahindra (+34%), Infiniti (+50%), Abarth (+59%) and Tesla (+581%) are the most dynamic among smaller brands.

Renault is the best-selling carmaker in Spain in 2017, placing the Clio and Megane in the Top 10.

The Seat Leon is the best-selling nameplate at home for the fourth year in a row (and ever) with sales up 5% to 2.8% share, despite only topping the monthly ranking 3 times vs. 5 times for the Seat Ibiza, still at #2 with deliveries up 6%. Note the Seat Ibiza celebrates 12 consecutive years inside the Spanish Top 2 and an incredible 23 years in a row on the domestic podium – the last time the Ibiza ranked below #3 annually at home was in 1994. The Renault Clio and Nissan Qashqai both gain 14% this year: a two-spot jump to #3 for the French compact and a three-rank uplift for the Japanese crossover to #4, even topping the sales charts in September. The Dacia Sandero (+7%) is also up three spots to round up the Top 5 and ranked #1 both in August and December.

The Renault Sandero topped the monthly Spanish ranking twice in 2017 and returns to the Top 5.

The Opel Corsa (-1%) drops 3 ranks to #6 ahead of the VW Golf (+3%) and Polo (-6%) which was #1 in March. The Renault Megane (+18%), Citroen C3 (+58%), Peugeot 2008 (+15%) and Seat Ateca (+226%) post the biggest gains in the Top 20, while two models launched at the end of 2016 shine: the Peugeot 3008 II is up 525% to #24 and the Toyota C-HR is up 1552% to #35. Its larger sibling the Peugeot 5008 II tops all new launches for 2018 by landing at #73, ahead of the Opel Crossland X (#91), Seat Arona (#116 but inside the December Top 30), Kia Stonic (#130), Hyundai Kona (#132 but #39 in December) and Citroen C3 Aircross (#134).

Previous month: Spain November 2017: Sales up 12.5% to highest November since 2007

Previous year: Spain 2016: Renault, Seat Leon win in market pushed by rentals

Two years ago: Spain 2015: Second year of reign for the Seat Leon

Full Year 2017 Top 55 All-brands and Top 405 All-Models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 45 All-brands and Top 300 All-models below.