Sweden August 2017: Volvo leads, XC60 cements newfound leadership

The Volvo XC60 has now firmly taken control of its home market – but no thanks to the new model…

* See the Top 45 All-brands and Top 260 All-models by clicking on the title *

Updated with XC60 data by generation

The Swedish new car market is up 9.5% year-on-year in August to 29.915 units, lifting the year-to-date total up 3.8% to a record 248.167 sales after eight months. Traditionally on a summer break in August with much weaker sales, homegrown market leader Volvo wakes up this year with sales up a fantastic 76% to 16.6% share, granted well below the 19.8% it commands year-to-date but enough to keep the Swedish marque above Volkswagen, down 13% to 15.2%. It is the first time since 2009 that Volvo manages to rank #1 at home in August. Kia gains 14% to remain at a stellar third place ahead of Toyota (+9%) while Mercedes (+17%), Renault (+28%) and Peugeot (+52%) post the other double-digit gains in the Top 10. Further down, Mitsubishi (+19%), Nissan (+20%), Ssangyong (+45%), Tesla (+21%), Land Rover (+93%) and Alfa Romeo (+200%) shine.

The Optima Sportwagon PHEV helps Kia remain in third place in the Swedish brands ranking. 

In the models ranking, the Volvo XC60 confirms it has now taken control of the Swedish market with sales up 4-fold on August 2016 to 8.2% share, in great part responsible for Volvo’s pole positon this month. Yet exclusive data by version shared by Nils from local publication ViBilagare shows that only 349 out of the 2.458 August XC60 sales are the new model, the rest being the previous generation highly equipped versions called “Classic” and heavily discounted. These low prices have even pushed the XC60 Classic to #1 vehicle with private buyers at 1.020 sales vs. 494 for the VW Golf. Now that this crucial piece of information has been unearthed, the challenge will be for the new XC60 to match these figures – and we doubt it will – otherwise, the V90 may well reclaim the top spot by the end of the year.

The XC60 “Classic” is in fact responsible for the astounding XC60 scores of the past few months.

Below, the VW Golf (+15%) and Passat (+29%) round up the podium while the Volvo S/V90 posts a very disappointing score at just 3.3% share in fourth place vs. 6% and #2 year-to-date. The Volvo V40 (+34%) and S/V60 (+5%) make it four Volvos in the August Top 6, exactly like the year-to-date order. The VW Tiguan (+35%), Mercedes E-Class (+50%), Nissan Qashqai (+75%) and Renault Clio (+121%) also shine in and near the Top 10. Further down, notice the Peugeot 3008 up 13-fold on August 2016 thanks to the new generation, the Toyota C-HR best-selling new nameplate at #23, the Kia Optima up 14-fold thanks to the release of a PHEV station wagon variant accounting for 61% of its sales, and the Kia Niro strong at #28.

Previous month: Sweden July 2017: Volvo XC60 triumphs

One year ago: Sweden August 2016: Podium 100% VW during Volvo’s summer break

Full August 2017 Top 45 All-brands and Top 260 All-models below.