Germany April 2022: VW Passat teases Golf in market off -21.5%

The VW Passat is at its best since January 2021.

New car sales in Germany are once again hampered by parts shortages and logistics issues stemming from the Covid-19 crisis and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. April volumes are down another -21.5% year-on-year to 180,264, leading to a year-to-date tally off -9% or almost 80,000 sales to 806,218. Brand leader Volkswagen (-30.9%) is hit even harder than the market, falling to 16.6% share vs. 17.6% so far this year. BMW (-19.1%) manages to keep its loss just below the market rate and gains two spots on last month to end the month at #2. Mercedes (-25.1%) stays at #3 while Audi (-15%) is down two ranks on April to #4. Ford (-15.9%) also outpaces the market at #5, distancing Opel (-32.4%) and Skoda (-33.6%) both freefalling. Kia (+26.5%) is up four spots on last month to #9 and is with Toyota (+6.1%) the only gainer in the Top 10. Below, Mitsubishi (+29.5%), Cupra (+96.9%), Porsche (+3.9%), Tesla (+34.3%), Polestar (+203.2%), Bentley (+115%), Maserati (+33.3%) and Alpine (+50%) are among the thin ranks of gainers. Chinese fares MG (+5 to #27) and Lynk & Co (+11 to #32) climb the German charts.

Model-wise, the VW Golf (-39.3%) freefalls to its lowest market share since last November at 2.4% and is teased by the VW Passat (-7.9%) at 2.2%. The VW T-Roc (-21.2%) rallies back up 9 spots on April to return to the ranking it holds year-to-date at #3. As the summer holiday season is approaching and rental campervans need to be specced up, the Fiat Ducato (-31.9%) is up 7 ranks on last month to #4, while the Opel Corsa (-32.2%) is back up 10 to #4 but suffers year-on-year. The Fiat 500 lineup (+30.3%) is down one to #6, a brilliant ranking it now also holds YTD, making it by far the best-selling foreign “model” in Germany. The VW Transporter (-2.1%), T-Cross (-0.7%) and Polo (-6.7%) follow with solid scores while the Mercedes C-Class (+96.2%) posts by far the best performance in the Top 10 at #10. Just below, the BMW X3 (+37.9%), Kia Ceed/Xceed (+22.7%), Toyota Yaris/Cross (+36.3%), Skoda Fabia (+40.1%) and Audi Q5 (+97.6%) shine in the remainder of the Top 20. At #33 (+27) the VW Taigo is the best-selling recent launch well above the Mercedes EQB (#96) and MG RX6 (#101).

Previous month: Germany March 2022: Tesla Model 3 #2, Cupra Formentor up to #4, market off -17.5%

One year ago: Germany April 2021: VW Golf down to lowest ever share in market up 90% on 2020 but down -26.1% on 2019

Full April 2022 Top 50 All-brands and Top 305 All-models below.