Spain August 2020: Kia (+26.2%), BMW (+18.7%) soar, VW Tiguan breaks record, sales return to negative (-10.1%)

The VW Tiguan is up to a record 4th place in Spain in August.

25/09: Now with actuals for Mini models and Cupra Formetor addition.

After new scrappage schemes enabled the market to return to positive in July (+1.1%), uncertainty around the sanitary and economic situation of the country pulled sales back down -10.1% year-on-year in August to just 66.925 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down -40.6% to 524.706. August has seen a 346% month-on-month surge of Covid-19 cases at over 174.000 vs. just 39.000 in July for a total of 470.973 as of September 1. As a result we are adjusting our 2020 forecast for Spain from 920.000 units (-29%) to 897.000 units (-31%). The only sales channel in positive in August is rentals, catching up on the massive lost volumes from earlier in the year at +21.5% to 5.031 and 7.5% share vs. 5.6% a year ago but they are still down -62% YTD at 77.782 vs. 204.515 over the same period in 2019. Private sales are down -9.5% to 37.664 and 56.3% share vs. 55.9% in August 2019 and off -33.6% YTD to 262.249 vs. 394.992 while company sales sink -15.5% to 24.230 and 36.2% share vs. 38.5%, down -35% YTD to 184.675 vs. 284.033.

Kia sales soar 26.2% year-on-year in August.

Petrol sales sink -21.1% year-on-year to 34.711 and 51.9% share vs. 59.1% a year ago and are down -48.3% YTD to 280.853 (53.5% share) vs. 543.339 (61.5%). Diesel sales resist better at -9% to 18.384 and 27.5% share vs. 27.1% in August 2019 and are off -40.1% YTD to 145.312 (27.7% share) vs. 242.694 (27.5%). However alternatively fuelled vehicle sales soar 35.6% to 13.820 and 20.7% share vs. 13.7% a year ago and are up 1.1% YTD to 98.541 and 18.8% share vs. 11% over the same period in 2019. In the detail, BEV is up 152.3% to 1.201 in August and up 18% to 7.875 YTD, PHEV is up 201.1% to 1.334 in August and up 109.1% to 9.285 YTD and HEV soars 46.7% to 10.152 for the month and 10.6% to 74.466 YTD at 14.2% share vs. 7.6% in 2019. In terms of regional sales, Madrid is up 3.2% to 20.878, Pais Vasco up 14.2% to 2.911 and Cantabria up 22.1% to 878 but all others are down, with Canarias (-46.4%), Baleares (-32.9%), Murcia (-26.8%), Castilla la Mancha (-26.2%) and Asturias (-25%) hit the hardest and Cataluña down -10.6%.

BMW surges 18.7% and the X2 is up 239.2%.

Volkswagen (-2.5%) only edges down to keep the lead of the brands ranking, one percentage point of market share above Renault (+11%) and Toyota (+1.2%), both toppling Seat (-2.9%) and Peugeot (-15.8%) down to #6. Kia (+26.2%) leaps up two spots to break into the Spanish Top 5 for the first time since September 2018, with BMW (+18.7%) also in outstanding shape in the remainder of the Top 10 just as Nissan (-2.7%) and Hyundai (-1.3%) limit their fall. Below, positive brands are a lot rarer with only six that lucky in the entire market: Dongfeng Sokon (+166.7%), Cupra (+65.1%), Tesla (+59.6%), Volvo (+27.8%), Alfa Romeo (+22.2%), Fiat (+9.1%) and Skoda (+9.1%). In contrast,  Smart (-87.8%), Mitsubishi (-80.2%), Honda (-54%), Jaguar (-48.7%), Opel (-42.2%), Jeep (-41.2%), Suzuki (-40.6%), Citroen (-22.3%), Ford (-22.1%), Subaru (-20%) and Audi (-19.7%) all at least double the market fall rate.

The Toyota C-HR is up 71.3% to #6 in August.

Model-wise, the Dacia Sandero (-17.3%) lodges a 7th win in the past 15 months, keeping the new generation Seat Leon (+33%) at a fair distance this month. However the Leon remains in the lead YTD for just 442 units (14.119 vs. 13.677). The Nissan Qashqai (-3.8%) is held above water by heavy discounts, it distances the VW Tiguan (+41.3%) up 11 spots on July to break its Spanish ranking record at #4, eclipsing its previous best of #6 hit in January 2018. The Renault Clio (+2.6%), leader in June and July, drops to #5 in August ahead of the Toyota C-HR (+71.3%) cracking the Spanish Top 6 for the third time ever after September 2018 (#6) and November 2019 (#4). At #10, the Hyundai Kona (+26.9%) breaks ito the Top 10 for the 2nd time this year after March (#9). The Dacia Duster (+6.6%) also shines while the Toyota Corolla (-1.4%) and VW Golf (-9.6%) keep their loss below the market rate. The Ford Puma (#31) tops recent launches above the Kia Xceed (#37) and Skoda Kamiq (#56) and we welcome the Mazda MX-30 at #151.

Previous month: Spain July 2020: Scrappage scheme tilts sales up 1.1%, Peugeot 2008 scores first ever podium

One year ago: Spain August 2019: Dacia Sandero 3peats at #1, lifts Dacia to record #6 in market logically down (-29%)

Full August 2020 Top 50 All-brands, Top 260 All-models and Top 5 BEV, PHEV and HEV models below.