Czech Republic November 2018: Skoda Kodiaq on podium, smashes records in market down 15.9%

The Skoda Kodiaq is the first SUV to ever rank on the Czech monthly podium.

New car sales in the Czech Republic endure a painful third consecutive month of double-digit decline in November at -15.9% to 19.283 units, the lowest November score since 2014 (16.365), pulling the year-to-date volume down 1.9% to 246.771. Homegrown leader Skoda once again beats the market with a contained -6% drop, lifting its share to 36.8% vs. 32.3% so far this year. In contrast Hyundai (-17%) and Volkswagen (-30%) both freefall but Hyundai still manages a higher share than YTD at 8.2% vs. 7.8%. Dacia (+41%) is once again the best performer in market, totally ignoring the surrounding gloom to post the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 25, ranking at #4 with 6.5%. Toyota (+21%) is the only other Top 15 brand posting a double-digit gain, with Mercedes (+8%) and Peugeot (+5%) also in positive in the Top 10. Further down, let’s single out Jaguar (+157%), Volvo (+34%) and Subaru (+16%) whereas at the other end of the ladder Ford (-59%), Audi (-56%), Opel (-51%), Porsche (-44%), Renault (-43%), Seat (-42%), BMW (-39%), Alfa Romeo (-37%), Land Rover (-37%) and Nissan (-34%) are in proper hell.

Model-wise, the Skoda Fabia (+4%) is pushed up by its facelift to its 2nd pole position in the past 4 months with 9.9% share vs. 8.2% YTD but the Skoda Octavia (-28%) remains well out of touch in the YTD order with a 4.328-unit advantage and only one month left in the year. The event of the month is the 125% year-on-year surge of the Skoda Kodiaq after a couple of dismal months (-44% in August, -52% in September and -47% in October), bouncing up to its first ever podium finish at home at #3 with 1.168 sales and 6.1%. These figures properly smash its previous bests of #5 (April 2017, May and June 2018), 765 sales (June 2018) and 3% (April 2017 and June 2018). In fact theses are new all-time records for any SUV ever on sale in the Czech Republic as two Skoda Karoq marks get erased: #4 and 3.4% share in March 2018. The Kodiaq November performance is so much higher than its previous average that it appears likely it corresponds to the delivery of bottlenecked stock over the summer.

Even though the Superb (-12%) and Karoq (-15%) perform mildly, the Kodiaq steppng up to #7 YTD means there are now 6 Skodas in the YTD Top 7, a record. The only odd one out, the Hyundai i30 (#4) is once again the best-selling foreigner this month at #5 ahead of the Dacia Duster (+29%) at #6. Notice also outstanding performances by the Hyundai Kona (+197%), VW Polo (+133%), Toyota C-HR (+86%), Dacia Dokker (+85%), Dacia Sandero (+75%), Toyota Auris (+48%), Mazda CX-3 (+46%), Dacia Logan (+38%) and Peugeot 2008 (+16%). The VW T-Roc (#31) tops recent launches (<12 months) ahead of the Peugeot Rifter (#63), Volvo XC40 (#91), Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (#93), Citroen C4 Spacetourer (#94) and Audi Q8 (#110).

Previous month: Czech Republic October 2018: Dacia soars 86% in market down 15%

One year ago: Czech Republic November 2017: Skoda Karoq up to #8, best-selling SUV

Full November 2018 Top 45 brands and Top 265 All-models below.