Czech Republic Full Year 2018: Octavia celebrates 10 straight years on top, record 6 Skodas in Top 7 in market hit into negative by WLTP

The Skoda Karoq lands at #6 for its first full year of sales.

Consult 50 years of Czech Historical Data here.

A tumultuous WLTP transition means the end of the record streak for the Czech market: after four consecutive years of annual volume records, new car sales in the Czech Republic skid down 3.7% year-on-year in 2018 to 261.437 registrations, still the second largest-ever volume in history. pre-WLTP boosted August was a new monthly record (27.830) and sales were up 4.3% for a 5th consecutive 8 month-record, but the end of the year was ghastly, marked by lack of availability of WLTP-homologated vehicles: -29% in September, -15% in October, -16% in November and -27% in December. Keep in mind a significant part of Czech sales (estimated to be from 10 to 12% of the total market) never see local roads and are immediately re-exported to other parts of the European Union, thanks to particularly low prices in the country. Homegrown brand leader Skoda posts an almost identical score this year vs. 2017 (+34 sales), resulting in a much improved 32.2% share or almost 1 in every 3 new cars sold. Volkswagen (-9.6%) and Hyundai (-4.4%) cannot say the same in the remaining spots of the podium, whereas Dacia (+5%) overtakes Ford (-22.9%) to snap the 4th spot while Peugeot (+25.3%), Citroen (+20.5%), Suzuki (+19.6%), Toyota (+17.8%), Kia (+13.1%) and Volvo (+13.1%)  brave the negative context to sign the largest gains in the Top 20 by far. On the other hand Audi (-37%), Fiat (-29.1%), Opel (-23.6%), BMW (-21.5%), Seat (-19.5%), Mercedes (-16.5%), Nissan (-12.9%) and Renault (-11.8%) are hit hard.

The Hyundai i30 is the best-selling foreigner in the Czech Republic for the 4th straight year.

Model-wise, the Skoda Octavia (-4.5%) celebrates 10 consecutive years in the annual pole position at home, keeping a comfortable 4.800 sales advantage over the Skoda Fabia (-0.9%) improving its share thanks to a facelift. The Skoda Rapid (+15.7%), although on the verge of being replaced by the Scala, posts a fantastic result and cements its 3rd place at 5.5% share, while the Hyundai i30 (+0.2%) takes advantage of the success of its liftback variant to remain the best-selling foreign nameplate in the Czech Republic for the 4th year in a row, edging up one spot to #4. The Skoda Superb (-22.6%) freefalls to #5 just above the Karoq (+240.3%) ending its first full year in its home market at a fantastic 6th place (peaking at #4 in March) and the Kodiaq (+18.6%) peaking at #3 in November when it lodged the highest ever monthly volume and share for an SUV in the country. As a result, Skoda holds 6 of the Top 7 positions in the models ranking, one more than last year and a new record for the brand beating its previous best of  5 in the Top 6 in 2012. The VW Golf (-25.3%) and Dacia Duster (+4.4%) complete the foreigner podium, the Opel Crossland X (+149%), Toyota C-HR (+51.9%), VW Polo (+49%), VW Tiguan (+35.1%), Toyota Corolla (+34.9%), Peugeot 3008 (+34.2%), Dacia Dokker (+32.9%), Toyota Auris (+30.6%) and Citroen C3 (+29.3%) also impress in the Top 50, the VW T-Roc ends its first full year of sales at #50 and the Ford Ecosport (#70) is the best-selling 2018 launch.

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

Previous year: Czech Republic 2017: Octavia #1, 4 Skodas in Top 4, record market

Two years ago: Czech Republic 2016: 4 Skodas in Top 4 for the first time, record market

Full Year 2018 Top 56 All-brands and Top 320 All-models vs. Full Year 2017 figures below.

Full December 2018 Top 45 All-brands and Top 260 All-models below.