Germany August 2017: Mercedes GLC and Seat Leon break records

The Mercedes GLC soars to a record-breaking 6th place in Germany in August. 

* See the Top 48 All-brands and Top 328 All-models by clicking on the title *

Up 3.1% year-on-year to 253.679 registrations, this is the best August score in Germany in 8 years, and this despite a freefalling of diesel sales at -13%. The year-to-date total is now up 2.9% to 2.323.785. If Volkswagen falls by the double-digits for the second consecutive month at -11%, Mercedes remains at historically high levels: with sales up 8% year-on-year, it hits 10.5% share of the German market, the fifth time it crosses the symbolic 10% milestone in the past year and at least the past decade, if not the past 40 years (see more detail in our July 2017 post). Audi (+1%) and BMW (+7%) are relegated way below at 7.6% and 7.4% share respectively. Strong month for Opel, Skoda and Seat all up 13% as well as Renault up 17% in 9th place. Dacia surges 31% to rank #11 with 2.5% share, no less than the brand’s highest ever ranking and market share in Germany. Further down, Citroen (+16%), Land Rover (+20%), Suzuki (+25%), Volvo (+25%), Peugeot (+28%), Mitsubishi (+42%), Alfa Romeo (+66%) and DS (+98%) all post impressive gains.

The Seat Leon is up to a best-ever 7th place in Germany this month. 

Model-wise, the Golf replicates Volkswagen’s fall at -11% to a still ultra-dominant 6.6% share, while the Mercedes C-Class (+9%) is now #2 year-to-date, bypassing the VW Polo tumbling down 11 spots in August to #16. The VW Passat (-7%) and Tiguan (-18%) round up the Top 4 but show paltry performances. Below the Skoda Octavia up 20% to #5, the Mercedes GLC soars 126% year-on-year to land at a spectacular 6th place, after only breaking into the Top 20 for the first time last month (#19)… The Seat Leon (+19%) surges 11 spots on July to smash its ranking record at #7, the third time the Leon ranks inside the German Top 10 after March 2017 (#9) and August 2015 (#10). Strikingly, the Leon outsells the Opel Astra this month to rank #2 in its segment below just the VW Golf… Notice also the Opel Mokka up 53% to #12, the BMW 5 Series up 83% to #14 and the Dacia Sandero up 50% to #22 or best-selling foreigner if we take Skoda and Seat as German-owned.

Dacia is knocking on the German Top 10’s door: up to a record 11th place in August. 

Among recent launches, the Audi Q2 is up 15 spots on July to a best-ever #33 also hit last March, the Skoda Kodiaq is up 48 ranks to break into the German Top 50 for the first time at #42, the Opel Crossland X is up 29 spots to #53, the Toyota C-HR down 8 to #81 and the Suzuki Ignis up 37 to #90, its first time inside the German Top 100. Finally, this month we welcome the Kia Stonic at #217 and the Kia Stinger at #305.

Previous month: Germany July 2017: Mercedes at highest share this decade, VW down 13%

One year ago: Germany August 2016: Mercedes > Audi but A4 beats Passat and C-Class

Full August 2017 Top 48 All-brands and Top 328 All-models below.