Switzerland August 2021: Toyota Yaris best-seller, VW ID.3 up to record #5 in market up 1.2%

The VW ID.3 breaks its ranking record in Switzerland in August.

New car sales in Switzerland edge up 1.2% year-on-year in August to 16.456 units, keeping in mind August 2020 volumes were down -16.3% on the year prior. The year-to-date tally now stands at 160.425, up 12.9% over the same period in 2020. 4×4 sales edge down -2.2% to 7.534 and 45.8% share vs. 47.4% a year ago and are up 5.4% year-to-date to 75.365 and 47% vs. 50.3% in 2020. Petrol sales drop -18.9% for the month to 6.363 and 38.7% vs. 48.3% a year ago and -6.4% year-to-date to 71.882 and 44.8% vs. 54% in 2020. Diesel sales implode -47.9% in August to just 1.924 units and 11.7% share vs. 22.7% a year ago and are off -28.4% YTD to 23.912 and 14.9% share vs. 23.5% in 2020. In contrast, alternatively fuelled vehicles soar 73.1% in August to 8.159 and 49.6% share vs. 29% a year ago and 102.5% YTD to 64.631 and 40.3% vs. 22.5% in 2020. In August, these include 4.076 HEV up 91.3% to 24.8% share vs. 13.1% a year ago, 2.242 BEV up 39.4% to 13.6% share vs. 9.9% in 2020 and 1.813 PHEV up 93.3% to 11% share vs. 5.8% a year ago. YTD, HEV is up 105.4% to 34.014 and 21.2% share vs. 11.7% in 2020, BEV is up 97.8% to 16.417 and 10.2% share vs. 5.8% and PHEV up 112.7% to 13.969 and 8.7% share vs. 4.6%.

Volkswagen (+68.5%) compensates for a particularly low year-ago comparison base to remain in the brands lead with 11.2% share, in line with its YTD level. The podium is unchanged on July with Mercedes (-17.2%) in difficulty and BMW (-1.4%) almost stable. Audi (+14.4%) posts a solid gain to overtake Skoda (-0.9%) for 4th place overall. Toyota (+43.5%), Hyundai (+27.1%) and Seat (+15.6%) also post fantastic gains in the remainder of the Top 10 whereas Ford (-7.6%) and Volvo (-1.8%) recede. Further down, notice Polestar (+660%), Alpine (+275%), Maserati (+185.7%), Suzuki (+145%), Bentley (+75%), Subaru (+42.5%), Jaguar (+25.5%) and Kia (+11.9%) all forging ahead.

Model-wise, the Toyota Yaris (+128.9%) shoots up to a second ever monthly win after last January, distancing the Audi Q3 (-6.4%) and Skoda Octavia (-35.3%), the latter still the year-to-date best-seller. The Fiat 500 (+36.1%) is up five spots on July to #4 while the VW ID.3 is up 45 ranks to break its ranking record in Switzerland at #5 (previous best: #8 last April), becoming the brand’s best-seller in the country. The BMW X3 (+56.5%), Dacia Sandero (+44.2%), VW Tiguan (+37.3%) and Skoda Karoq (+28.6%) all surge ahead in the remainder of the Top 10 where the Mercedes GLC (-16.3%) falters. Notice also the VW Golf (+75.8%) stuck at #11 both for the month and year-to-date, the Audi Q5 up 445.2% to #12 and the Cupra Formentor up 41 spots on last month to #14.

Previous month: Switzerland July 2021: VW Polo and Toyota Yaris top market off -14.2%

One year ago: Switzerland August 2020: Mercedes #1, places 3 models in Top 6, 8th straight double-digit market drop (-16.3%)

Full August 2021 Top 55 All-brands and Top 320 All-models below.