Austria April 2020: Skoda (-44.2%), Renault (-51.2%) resist in market improving on March (-64.7%)

Skoda posts the best hold in the Top 15.

24/06 update: Now with Top 130 YTD models.

12/05 update: Now with Top 20 models.

One of the first European countries to be hit at a large scale by the coronavirus, Austria is also one of the first to come out of the crisis, with new daily COVID-19 cases consistently below 100 since April 18 (total 15.424 and 584 deaths as of April 30). Face masks are now mandatory when entering a store (since March 30) and on public transport (since April 14). And unlike most European markets we have covered so far, new car sales manage a slightly smaller dip than March (-66.7%) at -64.7% to 11.284 units. The year-to-date volume is now down -41.5% to 65.964.

In the brands ranking, Volkswagen (-66.2%) remains in the lead but Skoda (-44.5%) has reduced the gap quite dramatically at 13.1% share. BMW (-57.5%) repeats at #3 above Renault (-51.2%) up 6 spots on March to #4, Ford (-67.3%) and Mercedes (-57.4%). Audi (-56.7%) and Peugeot (-62.2%) manage to contain their loss below the market rate in the remainder of the Top 10 but Seat (-73.9%) and Kia (-67.1%) aren’t that lucky, even though the latter is up 5 spots on last month to score its first Top 10 finish since September 2018 (#9). Further down, Tesla (+41%) stands out as the only gainer in Austria in April – alongside Aston Martin and Dodge, both up 100% to… 2 sales. Porsche (-17.6%), Land Rover (-17.8%), DS (-25%), Ferrari (-25%) and Subaru (-52.3%) also resist.

Model-wise, the Skoda Octavia (-63.2%) reclaims the top spot it held over the FY2019 for the first time since last November but remains #2 YTD for now. Its archenemy the VW Golf (-77.4%) crashes down 6 spots on March to a paltry 10th place overall this month, the first time the Golf slips out of the Austrian Top 5 according to our records. Meanwhile the VW Caddy (-30%), Skoda Karoq (-33.3%) and Renault Clio (-41.9%) post solid holds while the Tesla Model 3 (+59.9%) is down 6 spots on last month to #7 but scores the only year-on-year gain in the Top 20. The BMW X3 (-11.5%) slims down its fall to soar to #11 and the Skoda Kamiq surges to an all-time high 11th spot, its very first incursion into the Austrian Top 20.

Previous month: Austria March 2020: COVID-19 lockdown hits market down -66.7%, Tesla Model 3 #1

One year ago: Austria April 2019: Skoda Octavia scores 2nd ever win, VW T-Cross in Top 15

Full April 2020 Top 45 All-brands and Top 20 models below.

Full January-April 2020 Top 130 models below.