Poland Full Year 2014: Skoda Octavia reclaims top spot

Skoda Octavia

* See the Top 20 best-selling brands and Top 305 models by clicking on the title *

* See 23 years worth of Polish car sales archives here *

The Polish new car market got a sudden boost over the first quarter of 2014 when cars purchased as LCV by companies got a VAT-exemption. The result, helped further by the good overall health of the economy: a 12% annual surge to 372,367 registrations. Skoda remains the most popular manufacturer, even outperforming the market at +17% to 11.9% share ahead of Volkswagen (+19%) and Toyota (+27%) like in 2013. Opel (+41%) bypasses Ford and Renault to rank 4th, while Dacia (+20%), BMW (+23%), Audi (+26%) and Mitsubishi (+28%) also shine. Mazda (+77%) wins the ‘most improved’ title in the Top 20 by far.

The Dacia Duster is the best-selling SUV in Poland.

In the models ranking, the Skoda Octavia resumes a reign it had debuted in 2009, only interrupted in 2013 by the Skoda Fabia. 2014 thus marks the 5th annual win for the Octavia in Poland with sales up 21% to 13,988, well above the Fabia down 12% and handicapped by its ongoing changeover to the new generation. The Ford Focus holds onto the third spot, while the VW Golf and Opel Astra both overtake the Toyota Yaris to rank #4 and #5 respectively. There are a lot of great performing nameplates in the Top 50, starting with the Skoda Rapid up more than doubling its 2013 to finish its first full year in market at a very respectable 8th place.

Mazda3 sales are up fourfold on 2013 in Poland.

Further down, the Dacia Duster is up 34% to #11, reclaiming the title of Poland’s best-selling SUV it held back in 2012. The VW Passat is up 43% to #13, the Renault Master up 40% to #16, the Skoda Superb up 50% to #17, the Opel Insignia up 49% to #21, Toyota RAV4 up 45% to #23, Renault Captur up 56% to #34, Volvo XC60 up 38% to #36 and Mitsubishi ASX up 63% to #44. A few models fare even better: the Mazda3 increases its sales fourfold to a best-ever #32 and 2,924 units, the Toyota Corolla doubles its sales to #29 and the Seat Leon clocks up deliveries 3.5 times that of 2013 at #42.

Previous month: Poland November 2014: Toyota Yaris and Lexus NX shine

Previous year: Poland Full Year 2013: Skoda Fabia edges past Octavia

One year ago: Poland Full Year 2012: Skoda Octavia #1, Dacia Duster in Top 10

Full Year 2014 Top 20 brands and Top 305 models vs. 2013 figures below.

Full December 2014 Top 15 brands and Top 50 models below.