Hungary March 2016: Suzuki and Vitara cement leadership

Suzuki is headed towards its first annual win in 8 years in Hungary.

* See the Top 10 best-selling brands and models by clicking on the title *

The Hungarian new car market continues to display splendid health with sales up 19% year-on-year in March to 7.494 units, lifting the year-to-date total up 15% to 19.688. Thanks to the outstanding success of the Vitara, local producer Suzuki cements its market leadership with 11.8% share in March, leading to 11.4% over the first quarter (2.247 sales), comfortably ahead of Opel (2.023), Skoda (1.888) and Ford (1.847). Suzuki used to be ultra-dominant in Hungary before the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2009: the Suzuki Swift even held 23.5% of the Hungarian market in 1999 and the best-selling vehicle in the country was a Suzuki for 9 out of 10 years between 1999 and 2008 when the Swift was #1.

2015 looks like it will be the year of the renaissance for Suzuki, with the Japanese carmaker headed to a first annual win in 8 years even though it only has one nameplate in the year-to-date Top 10. Model-wise, exactly one year after its very first appearance in the Hungarian Top 10, the Suzuki Vitara is more dominant than ever: at 8.4% share thanks to 627 sales, it is getting close to selling double the amount of any other nameplate in the country. The Skoda Octavia, leader from 2013 to 2015 comes in at a distant 2nd place with 373 sales and 5% share. The Ford Focus overtakes the Opel Astra to jump on the podium, the VW Passat holds itself at a brilliant 5th position and the Ford Kuga makes a rare appearance inside the Top 10 at #9.

Previous post: Hungary January-February 2016: Suzuki Vitara sovereign

One year ago: Hungary March 2015: All-new Suzuki Vitara lands at #7

Full March 2016 Top 10 brands and models below.