Austria May 2020: Skoda Fabia scores first win in 14 years in recovering market (-33.6%)

BMW manages the best hold among the Top 15 brands. Picture autofilou.at

10/06 update: Now with Top 20 models.

Austria both imposed movement restrictions and stepped out of the COVID-19 crisis earlier than most European countries, and May new car sales figures confirm recovery is now well on the way. A drastically reduced -33.9% year-on-year drop to 20.211 units compares well with March (-66.7%) and April (-64.7%) volumes. The year-to-date tally is now down -39.9% to 86.111. Both Volkswagen (-41%) and Skoda (-41.8%) still drop faster than the market and therefore lose share year-on-year but remain by far the most popular brands in the country.

In fact the Top 5 returns to its YTD order with Seat (-33.8%), BMW (-19.8%) and Renault (-29.6%) in tow. Mercedes (-22.5%), Audi (-32.2%) and Hyundai (-32.3%) also manage to beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10 but Opel (-45.5%) and Ford (-36.7%) dive. Further down, Ferrari (+150%), Morgan (+100%), DS (+47.1%), Porsche (+43.1%) and Land Rover (+21.6%) defy the market with stunning gains while Citroen (-15.3%), Volvo (-16%), Lexus (-22.2%), Mitsubishi (-22.2%), Mini (-22.9%) and Peugeot (-25.7%) contain their losses.

The Skoda Fabia is #1 in Austria in May. Picture spenglerfachjournal.at.

Over in the models ranking, the Skoda Fabia (-25.7%) snaps its second ever monthly win in Austria, a whopping 14 years after the first one in  July 2006… The Skoda Octavia (-64.8%) is relegated to #2 while the Fiat 500 Family (+19.5%) leaps up 9 spots on April to #3. The VW Golf (-50.1%) rallies back up six ranks on last month to a still disappointing 4th place. The Golf is still #1 YTD but with a 21-unit margin over the Octavia and 100 sales above the Fabia. The Seat Leon storms back up to #5, the Renault Captur is up a further 9 spots to #6, the BMW X3 (+65.5%) edges down one to #10 and the Mazda CX-30 is back inside the Austrian Top 20 at #19.

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

One year ago: Austria May 2019: Skoda Octavia takes control YTD for the first time, VW T-Roc up to record #2

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