Finland Full Year 2017: Toyota passes VW, Octavia remains #1 model

The Skoda Octavia is the best-selling nameplate in Finland for the 4th straight year.

* See the Top 45 All-brands and Top 315 All-models by clicking on the title *

Consult over 45 years worth of Finland Historical Data here

The Finnish new car market skids down 0.5% or just 626 sales in 2017 to 117.195 registrations. New brand leader Toyota goes against the grain with a fantastic 16% year-on-year gain to 12.6% share vs. 10.8% a year ago, overtaking long-term best-seller Volkswagen down 4% to 10.9%. Toyota led the brands ranking every single month in 2017 except for an artificially boosted December uncharacteristically won by Renault. Skoda (+6%) remains third and ends the year just below the symbolic 10% mark, while Volvo shoots up 21% to pass Ford (-13%) and rank 4th overall. Nissan (-6%), Kia (-4%) and Opel (-4%) all underperform but hold onto their ranking, while Mercedes (+11%) surges ahead of Audi (-8%) to win the premium race. Despite its freak victory in December, Renault (+9%) remains at #12 this year. Notice also Tesla (+105%), Mini (+58%), Porsche (+38%), Lexus (+37%), Alfa Romeo (+33%) and Dacia (+16%) among the most dynamic smaller brands.

The C-HR helps Toyota snap the brands top spot off Volkswagen in 2017.

Model-wise, the Skoda Octavia is the best-seller in Finland for the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in the past 7 years (and ever), advancing 3% to 4.9% share. The Octavia ranked #1 in January, February, April, May, June, July and August but hasn’t topped the Finnish monthly ranking since. The Nissan Qashqai for its part is up 8% to 4.3% share and was #1 in March, September, October and November. The VW Golf (-5%) rounds up a podium unchanged on 2016 and 2015. The Renault Clio posted a freak pole position in December but ranks #12 over the Full Year (+27%). The Toyota Auris (-0.4%) and Yaris (+9%) complete the Top 5 while the Volvo V90 storms into the Top 10 for its first full year of sales. The Volvo XC60 is boosted up 54% and 13 spots to #14 by the new generation, the Toyota C-HR leaps to #17 for its first full year with the Mercedes E-Class (+56%) and VW Tiguan (+67%) also impressive in the Top 30. The Opel Crossland X is the best-selling new launch for 2017 at #108.

Previous month: Finland November 2017: Qashqai, Octavia top market up 7.2%

Previous year: Finland Full Year 2016: Skoda Octavia on top, Opel Astra up 180%

Two years ago: Finland Full Year 2015: Skoda Octavia remains #1, VW Golf down 27%

Full Year 2017 Top 45 All-brands and Top 315 All-models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 30 brands and models below.