Spain August 2022: Toyota Yaris signs first monthly win, sales back in positive (+9.1%)

The Toyota Yaris is the most popular vehicle in Spain for the first time.

In August, 51,907 new cars found a buyer in Spain, that’s a +9.1% year-on-year increase and the first market uptick since last February. Yet the market is off -30.3% on pre-pandemic August 2019 (74,490). The year-to-date volume however remains in negative at -9.4% to 533,042 units. Some bad news for private sales: they are down -4.3% year-on-year to 24,951 and off -1.4% year-to-date to 233,413. In fact the market is up primarily thanks to company sales up 22.4% for the month to 21,712 and up 4% YTD to 224,337. Sales to rental companies soar 37% in August to 5,244 but remain down drastically year-to-date at -44.6% to 75,292. Looking at sales by region, Madrid (+28.3%) is the main responsible for this month’s market lift, with Canarias (+13.8%), Baleares (+13.2%) and La rioja (+8.7%) also strong.

The Top 5 brands all advance faster than the market with double-digit year-on-year gains. Toyota (+19%) stays in the pole position it holds year-to-date, ranking #1 for the 4th time this year so far. Kia (+21.4%) climbs to #2 and dislodges Volkswagen (+15.1%) to also rank #2 year-to-date. Hyundai (+13.3%) drops one spot on July to #3 while Peugeot (+45.9%) shines at #5 with the largest uptick in the Top 6. In fact, only Dacia (-11.6%) trails the market in the Top 10, with Mercedes (+82.7%), Citroen (+51.3%), Ford (+32%) and Audi (+12.3%) also delivering splendid scores. The picture isn’t as rosy below, with Renault (-28.3%) in trouble but the shock of the month is the freefall of Seat (-40.9%) to a horrendous 13th place for the month, its first time outside the Top 10 at home, whereas it still ranked #1 last May. MG (+1302.1%), Lynk & Co (+668.5%) and Alfa Romeo (+99.1%) shine below.

The Toyota Yaris (+110.2%) more than doubles its sales year-on-year to become the best-selling vehicle in Spain for the month and for the first time whereas it ranked as low as #75 last November and its previous best was #6 in June 2021 and last month in July 2022. The Yaris now ranks #12 year-to-date. The Dacia Sandero (-27.2%) is down one spot on July to #2 and remains #3 YTD, a ranking it also held over the Full Year 2021. The Hyundai Tucson (-4.5%) stays at #3 and confirms its YTD leadership. The Peugeot 208 (+118.4%) and Kia Sportage (+105.7%) close the Top 5 in spectacular fashion. It is the first Top 5 finish for the Kia Sportage with a previous best of #9 hit last January. The Kia Xceed (+54%) also breaks its Spanish ranking record at #7 as its previous best was #12 in September 2021. At #9, it’s the 2nd Top 10 finish for the Yaris Cross after ranking #6 last January.

Previous month: Spain July 2022: Ford (+47.7%), Dacia (+16.6%) impress in market down -12.5%

One year ago: Spain August 2021: Sales off -28.9%, Toyota leads for first time, Hyundai up to record #2, Sandero repeats at #1

Full August 2022 Top 45 all brands and Top 275 all models below.