Poland Full Year 2019: Skoda Octavia resists Toyota Corolla for now, Dacia Duster leads Private Sales in record market (+4.1%)

The Toyota Corolla misses out on a first Polish win for less than 700 sales.

Discover close to 30 years worth of Polish Historical Data here.

The Polish new light vehicle market posts a splendid 7th consecutive year of gains in 2019 at +4.1% a record 624.942 units including light commercials.  One of the particularity of the Polish market is the very high market share of fleet sales at 72.5% or 453.359 registrations (+1.9%), albeit down from 74.1% in 2018. Private sales gain 10.3% to 171.583 and 27.5% share. Petrol sales soar 10.2% to 446.763 and 71.5% share vs. 65.8% in 2018, diesel sales sink -9.3% to 176.488 and 28.2% share vs. 32.4% and EVs surge 138.4% to 1.621 but remain at a tiny 0.3% share. Looking at passenger cars only, the Polish market is up 4.7% to a record 544.548 units, with fleet holding 70.3% of the market at 382.655 and private sales at 29.7% and 161.893. Petrol sales at 80.5% thanks to 438.239 units, diesel at 19.2% or 104.792 and EVs at 0.3% or 1.490.

The top selling brands aren’t in that great of a shape, with 4 of the Top 5 enduring market-defying declines. Skoda (-1.9%) remains the most popular carmaker at 11.1% share but Toyota (+11.6%) is catching up fast up one  spot to #3 and 10.3% of the market vs. 9.6% a year ago. Volkswagen (-2.7%) is knocked down to #3 at 9.7% above Ford (-3.7%), Opel (-1.8%) and Renault (+1.6%) holding onto their 2018 ranking. Dacia (+20.8%), Kia (+19%) and Fiat (+12.8%) post the largest gains in the Top 10 while Mercedes (+6.4%) also manages to outpace the market at #9. Below, BMW (+32.5%) shines while Mazda breaks into the Top 15. When only considering passenger cars, only the podium remains identical (Skoda-Toyota-Volkswagen) but then Opel, Dacia, Kia, Ford, Renault, Hyundai and BMW follow. Mazda is up to #12.

The Dacia Duster is the favourite vehicle of Polish private buyers.

Model-wise, the Skoda Octavia (-3.5%) manages to remain the best-selling nameplate in Poland for the second year in a row and the 9th time in the past 11 years – and ever, but chances are it won’t be in the lead in 2020 as the new Toyota Corolla (+162.4%) ends the year less than 700 units below and is on an incredible streak of 8 consecutive monthly wins. The Corolla indeed remains unbeaten since May 2019, whereas it had never topped the monthly Polish ranking even once before. The Skoda Fabia (-11.8%) drops to #3, followed by a very dynamic Dacia Duster (+55.8%) up 5 ranks to #4 and by far the best-selling SUV in the country. The Toyota Yaris (+0.2%) rounds up the Top 5 like last year, just as the VW Tiguan (+22.6%), Fiat Tipo (+16.4%) and Renault Clio (+3.8%) all break into the Top 10. The Toyota RAV4 (+41%), Hyundai i30 (+36.4%), Kia Cee’d (+20.1%) and Opel Corsa (+17.3%) also impress, the Skoda Kodiaq (#29), Mazda CX-3 (#33) and VW T-Roc (#39) lodge their first ever Top 50 finish just like the Skoda Scala (#49), most successful 2019 launch and peaking at #13 in November.

The Private Sales ranking gives us a completely different (and exclusive) picture of what Polish buyers really want. The Dacia Duster easily takes the lead with over 9.000 sales and just under 60% Private Sales Ratio (PSR). It is followed by the Toyota Yaris at 50.8% PSR, the Toyota Corolla (28.1%), Skoda Fabia (31.3%), Fiat Tipo (52%) and Hyundai Tucson (51.5%). Leader of the overall Passenger Cars ranking, the Skoda Octavia (18.7%) is only #7 with private buyers. The Toyota C-HR is up to #11, the Toyota Aygo up to #12, the Hyundai i20 up to #13, the Suzuki Vitara up to #16 and the Mitsubishi ASX up to #20 whereas it didn’t rank inside the Passenger Cars Top 50. Other “new entrants” in the Private Sales Top 50 (read models that didn’t feature in the overall Top 50) include the Honda HR-V (#27), Kia Venga (#33), Honda Civic (#37), Hyundai Kona (#40) and Opel Crossland X (#43).

Note: Since June 2019, we also publish the Top 15 brands and Top 50 models for passenger cars excluding light commercials.

Previous month: Poland November 2019: Toyota Corolla #1 for 7th month in a row, Skoda Kamiq shoots up

Previous year: Poland 2018: Skoda Octavia back in charge in record market

Two years ago: Poland 2017: Skoda Fabia leads for second time in ten years

Full Year 2019 Top 15 brands and Top 50 models vs. Full Year 2018 figures below (all market).

Full Year 2019 Top 15 brands, Top 50 models and Top 50 private sales below (passenger cars only).

Full December 2019 Top 15 brands and Top 50 models below (all market and passenger cars only).