Spain March 2020: State of emergency brings market down -69.3% to 2nd lowest monthly volume ever recorded
Spain is under strict lockdown measures since March 16.
The distribution and sale of new cars was shut down in Spain on March 16 as part of the state of emergency declared against the coronavirus pandemic, with Spain now the second-most affected country in the world after Italy. As a result the Spanish new car market implodes -69.3% year-on-year in March to just 37.644 registrations, estimated to be the second lowest monthly volume ever recorded since Spanish statistics started in 1973, after September 2012 (35,206 sales). This in turns pulls the year-to-date tally down -31% to 218.705 units. All distribution channels are affected similarly: private sales drop -67.5% to 16.871, company sales sink -66.9% to 12.613 and rental deliveries freefall -74.9% to 8.160. Year-to-date, company sales do best once again at -24.2% to 77.500, private sales follow at -32.2% to 98.610 and rental fleets crumble -38.4% to 42.595.
The new Leon helps Seat hit its highest share in over 15 years.
Seat (-44.5%) and Toyota (-48.3%) manage to lose significantly less ground than the market and are rewarded with the Top 2 spots in the March brands ranking, with Seat even soaring to 13% share, its first double-digit share since February 2018 and highest in over 15 years, as we estimate the last time Seat reached such a high monthly market share at home could be in 2003. Volkswagen (-67.6%) and Renault (-73%) follow while Hyundai (-46.8%) is only the third Top 20 brand to lose less than half its March 2019 sales and as a result shoots up 7 spots on last month to #5, its 2nd incursion inside the Spanish Top 5 in the past 4 months. Mercedes (-51.6%) is also up 7 ranks to #7, but Peugeot (-81.5%) is down 7 to #8 and Citroen (-82.9) is down 7 to #10. Tesla (-37.2%), Land Rover (-38.9%) and Lexus (-46.8%) also resist further down.
First Spanish Top 10 finish for the Hyundai Kona.
Over in the models ranking, the Seat Leon (-43.9%) is head and shoulders above the competition at 4.6% share following three consecutive months at 2.5%, perhaps boosted by pre-ordered demo sales of the new generation which was supposed to hit the Spanish market in April. This is in any case the highest monthly share delivered by the Leon at home in at least 16 years, its previous recent best being 4.2% in February 2015. The Nissan Qashqai (-71.2%) is nudged down to #2 while the Seat Arona (-47.7%) posts its third ever podium finish at #3 after last June (#2) and July (#3). At #4, the Toyota Corolla (+13.3%) is the only Top 20 model in positive, simply because the current gen was only gearing up a year ago. The Seat Ibiza (-49.5%) rounds out the Top 5 while the Ateca (-44.1%) makes it four Seats in the March Top 7. The Toyota C-HR (-38.4%) is up 17 spots on last month to #8 and the Hyundai Kona (-20.6%) is up as many ranks to score its first ever Top 10 finish in Spain at #9.Now that the VW T-Cross (#23) celebrates one year in market, the Kia Xceed (#29) is the best-selling recent launch.
Previous month: Spain February 2020: Kia (+24.1%), Toyota (+21.8%), Fiat Tipo (#5) superstars in market down -5.1%
One year ago: Spain March 2019: Peugeot (+21.5%), Renault (+9.4%), Citroen (+41.8%) make podium 100% French in 7th market decline
Full March 2020 Top 35 All-brands and Top 255 All-models below.
