Germany October 2020: Renault Zoe soars to record #7, VW Golf down -41.4% as ID.3 up to #28, sales back in negative (-3.6%)

The Renault Zoe breaks into the German Top 10 for the first time in October. Picture autobild.de

After registering their first uptick of the year in September (+8.4%), German new car sales tilt back into negative in October at -3.6% to 274.303 units, leading to a year-to-date tally off -23.4% to 2.316.134. This relapse alongside the November Covid-19 “light” lockdowns that might be extended into December have prompted us to revise our 2020 Germany Forecast down from 2.91 million sales (-19%) last month to 2.87 million (-20%), which would remain the lowest annual German volume in 35 years: since 1985 (2.38m).

Volkswagen (-17%) remains by far the best-selling brand at home but endures the largest year-on-year drop in the Top 6. Mercedes (-2.7%) keeps its loss below the market rate, resulting in a splendid 11.9% share, its best since the 12.6% it hit back in October 2018 which at the time was a 38-year high. Renault (+27.9%), Audi (+23.1%) and Opel (+22.6%) stun with double-digit gains in the remainder of the Top 10 while Skoda (+7.7%) scores a 5th ever Top 5 finish at #5 after March 2009, August 2019, July 2020 and last month, and both Seat (+1.5%) and Hyundai (+0.8%) also manage to edge up. Further down in the Top 35, Lexus (+77.2%), Dacia (+58.1%), Fiat (+21.2%), Kia (+11%), Subaru (+10.5%) and Toyota (+10.3%) stand out with double-digit gains.

The VW ID.4 has landed in the German charts.

Model-wise, the VW Golf (-41.9%) is in complete freefall and endures an 8th double-digit drop of 2020 as we may be starting to see the cannibalising effect the ID.3 is having, the latter climbing 27 spots on September to break into the German Top 30 for the first time at #28 with 2.647 sales. The Opel Corsa (+89.7%) almost doubles its sales year-on-year to repeat at a record 2nd place, crossing the 7.000 monthly sales milestone for the first time in at least a decade. All remaining Top 5 models strikingly post a double-digit gain: the VW T-Roc (+30.8%), Passat (+16.4%) and Skoda Octavia (+35.7%) all evolve at markedly higher levels than a year ago. But the hero of the month is the Renault Zoe (+993.9%) up a surreal 11-fold on its year-ago volume and brilliantly breaking into the German Top 10 for the first time at #7, up 6 spots on September. The Zoe is by far the best-selling EV in Germany this month, with double the sales as the VW ID.3, let’s see in the coming months if it can hold this position. The Hyundai Kona (+74.9%), Audi A3 (+69.8%) and Seat Ateca (+63.2%) also impress further down as we welcome the VW ID.4 (#229), Cadillac XT4 (#270), Suzuki Swace (#288) and Ferrari Roma (#292) in the German charts.

Previous month: Germany October 2019: Ford Kuga breaks into Top 5, VW T-Cross #2 with private buyers, market up 12.6%

One year ago: Germany September 2020: First uptick of the year (+8.4%), Skoda in Top 5, Opel Corsa #2, Seat Leon #5

Full October 2020 Top 50 All-brands and Top 305 All-models below.