Spain July 2018: Renault, Volkswagen and Nissan Qashqai triumph

The Nissan Qashqai scores its second Spanish pole position in the past 4 years.

* See the Top 45 All-brands and Top 295 All-models by clicking on the title *

New car sales in Spain continue to post excellent results this year, with July deliveries surging 19.3% year-on-year to 131.886 units, the highest score for the month since 2007 (167.519), lifting the year-to-date tally up 11.3% to 869.573, also the highest since 2007 (1.019.716). However behind this glossy result hides a relatively artificial performance channel-wise, with the market pulled up by sales to rental companies up 31.3% to 20.516 and 15.6% vs. 14.1% in July 2017 as well as company sales up 29.5% to 43.471 and 33% share vs. 30.4% a year ago. Let’s not underestimate the performance of private sales though, up a robust 10.6% to 67.899, but their share drops from 55.5% in July 2017 to just 51.5% now. Year-to-date, this time it’s company sales that pull the market up at +17.7% to 213.717 and 28.9% share vs 27.3% in 2017, with private sales only slightly below the market growth at +9.3% to 411.370, resulting in a relatively stable share at 47.3% vs. 48.2% a year ago. Rental sales quite satisfyingly trail the overall market at +8% to 206.727 units and see their share reduce from 24.5% to 23.8%.

The Megane (+44%) helps Renault up 33% this month in Spain.

Diesel sales drop to 35.9% share in July vs. 47.2% in July 2017 while petrol sales go from 52.3% to 63.5%. The evolution is similar year-to-date where diesel sales are at 36.8% of the Spanish market vs. 49.5% a year ago and petrol sales at 62.6% vs. 50.1% over the same period in 2017. Segment-wise, unsurprisingly SUVs are the engine of growth in Spain with small SUVs up a disproportionate 115.5% to 14.807 sales, compact SUVs up 41.3% to 34.706 and large SUVs up 31.5% to 7.467. In contrast, mini cars are down 7.6% to 5.062, small cars down 1.2% to 24.443 but compact cars are solid at +9.8% to 27.124. The hardest hit significant segment is compact MPVs down 18.1% to 5.512 while small MPVs surprise with a 45.2% gain to 2.196 and large MPVs gain 23.9% to 1.082. Year-to-date, small SUVs are up 91.1% to 95.917, compact SUVs up 24% to 202.944 and large SUVs up 25.9% to 40.486, while mini cars are up 9% to 39.173, small cars up 1.7% to 186.625 and compact cars up 0.9% to 179.937. This time all MPV segments are down: small MPVs drop 24.7% to 9.388, compact MPVs are at -11.8% to 44.567 and large MPVs down 18.1% to 6.151.

The Tiguan (+97%) boosts Volkswagen Spanish sales up 35% in July.

Over in the brands ranking, like last month the top sellers are extremely dynamic with the entire Top 10 posting double-digit gains and 8 out of 10 actually outpacing the market, starting with Renault up a fantastic 33% to 9.3% share vs. 7.5% so far in 2018 and Volkswagen up 35% to 8.6% vs. 8.2%. Leader year-to-date, Seat gains a solid 18% to 7.6%, below the 8.3% it commands this year. Peugeot is up 20% to #4 but is overtaken by Renault YTD for the third place. Audi (+49%), Nissan (+45%) and Fiat (+36%) score the largest gains in the Top 10 with Ford and Hyundai (both up 22%) also strong and Toyota (+17%) trailing the market just slightly. Further down, Jeep (+222%) is the hero in town with July 2018 deliveries more than triple that of a year ago, with Subaru (+140%), Alfa Romeo (+130%), Ferrari (+100%), Mahindra (+73%), Porsche (+52%) and Volvo (+45%) also very impressive.

The Hyundai Kona lifts its ranking record to #33.

Model-wise, the Nissan Qashqai stuns with a 94% year-on-year surge lifting it from #9 in June to its second pole position in the past four years (add September 2017) with a margin of over 1.000 sales and almost one percentage point on any other nameplate in market this month. Talk about a triumph. This performance lifts the Qashqai to #3 year-to-date vs. #4 over the Full Year 2017. The Renault Megane (+41%) also scores a very impressive result this month to land in 2nd place whereas it only ranks 13th so far in 2018. Leader YTD, the Seat Leon (-3%) is knocked down to #3 above its little sister the Seat Ibiza (-11%) #2 this year. But it’s the VW Tiguan (+97%) that posts the largest gain in the Top 10 to hit #7, with the Renault Captur (+44%) also outstanding. Further down, the Jeep Compass (+786%), Fiat 500L (+132%), Ford Fiesta (+128%), Audi Q3 (+119%), Fiat Tipo (+115%), Toyota C-HR (+89%), Nissan X-Trail (+74%), Audi A1 (+64%), Peugeot 3008 (+49%), Ford Kuga (+47%), Dacia Duster (+42%) and Renault Kadjar (+42%) post the largest gains in the Top 40, when excluding the Seat Arona only just one year old at #15. Among recent launches, the VW T-Roc (#30), Hyundai Kona (#33), and Opel Grandland X (#47) all break their ranking records whereas the Citroen C3 Aircross (#39) is down, and we welcome the Lamborghini Urus in the charts.

Previous month: Spain June 2018: VW surges 35% in highest month in over 10 years

One year ago: Spain July 2017: Renault (+15%) leads in biggest July since 2008

Full July 2018 Top 45 All-brands and Top 295 All-models below.