Sweden October 2022: Volvo back to #1, XC60 best-seller, market up 12.1%

Volvo is #1 at home for the first time since last May.

The Swedish new car market manages a 12.1% year-on-year increase in October to 22,383 sales but, and this is a big but, October 2021 was down a ghastly -29.1% on the year prior. The year-to-date tally remains in frank negative at -10% to 227,023 units. Rechargeable cars soar 30.9% year-on-year to 13,299 sales and a record 59.4% share including 7,940 EVs (+73.6%) and 5,359 PHEVs (-4%).

Volvo (+33.4%) is #1 at home for the first time since last May with a very strong 18.3% share vs. 14.2% so far this year. Volkswagen (+23.8%) is also up vigorously at #2, just as Kia (-16.3%) suffers this month but remains up year-to-date in a negative market at +1.7%. Toyota (+25.1%) posts a very solid uptick, but isn’t as impressive as Audi (+82.6%) up three spots on September to #5. Nissan (+52.1%), BMW (+28.2%) and Mercedes (+23.4%) also stand out in the remainder of the Top 10 while Skoda (+13.2%) edges past the market growth. Cupra (+682.1%) now sells more than double Seat (-66.7%). Notice also the arrival of BYD with the first unit of the Tang sold.

Model-wise, the Volvo XC60 (+77.3%) surges up to sign its 2nd win in the past 4 months and consolidates its 2nd place year-to-date. The Volvo XC40 (+15.3%) remains in 2nd place like in September and is headed towards its first ever Full Year victory at home. Leader last month, the Kia Niro (-13.1%) is in negative in October at #3, a ranking it also holds year-to-date. The VW ID.4 (-3.4%) edges down year-on-year but stays at #4 like last month, while the Volvo S/V60 (-21.1%) rallies back up 7 spots on September to #5 and endures a -50.1% freefall year-to-date as it was #1 over the Full Year 2021. Among the rest of the Top 10 models, the VW Golf (+75.1%), Nissan Leaf (+32.9%) and Skoda Enyaq (+16.3%) shine unlike the Kia Ceed (-64%). 

Previous month: Sweden September 2022: Registrations back down -2.6%, Kia Niro best-seller

One year ago: Sweden October 2021: Kia Ceed best-seller, rechargeable cars at 50.9% share, market off -29.1%

Full October 2022 Top 50 all brands and Top 250 all models below.