Germany January 2023: Mercedes (12% share), Skoda (7.7%), Dacia (3.2%) excel in disappointing market (-2.6%)

Skoda breaks its market share record in Germany in January.

179,247 new cars hit German roads in January, a disappointing -2.6% year-on-year fall. Volkswagen (+1.3%) edges up to 20.7% share, its highest and first time above 20% since July 2021. Mercedes (+14.5%) hits its highest monthly share since October 2018 and 2nd highest in 40 years at 12%. Audi (-1%) ranks third like it did over the Full Year 2022 while Skoda (+12.6%) reaches a record 4th place (also hit in May 2021) and breaks its all-time share record at 7.7% (previous best 7% in July 2020). BMW (-24.7%) and Opel (-34.4%) suffer but Toyota (+28.3%) impresses and Ford (+3.4%) edges up. At #10, Dacia (+42.1%) breaks into the German Top 10 for only the second time ever after December 2019 (#10) and lodges its 2nd highest ever share at 3.2% (best is 3.8% in August 2019). Tesla (+912.2%) surges at #11, again posting an unusually high start of quarter result. MG (+169.8%), Suzuki (+112.3%), Lynk & Co (+97.1%), Alfa Romeo (+85.3%), Land Rover (+83%), Nissan (+49.6%), Mazda (+31%) and Porsche (+19.3%) also shine below. BYD lands with 50 sales.

Model-wise, the VW Golf (-25.9%) climbs back up to the top spot after falling to #7 in December and despite a heavy year-on-year fall. Only 95 sales below we have the VW Tiguan (+22.4%) in outstanding shape. The VW T-Roc (-0.8%) rounds out the podium like it did over the Full Year 2022. Very impressive result by the Tesla Model Y (+2511.3%) down only one spot on December to #4. The next five best-selling models all rally up from paltry December rankings. The Mercedes C-Class (+3.9%) is up 14 spots to #5, the Skoda Octavia (-13.5%) is up 37 to #6, the VW Passat (+22.3%) up 22 to #7, the Toyota Yaris/Cross (+45.7%) up 23 to #8 and the Audi A4 (+19.8%) up 30 to #9. Below, the Dacia Sandero (+12.5%) is up 62 ranks on last month to #12, with the VW Taigo (+255.4%), Skoda Fabia (+36.5%) and VW T-Cross (+31.8%) also strong in the remainder of the Top 15.

Previous post: Germany 2022: Last minute surge tilts market into positive (+1.1%), VW Golf challenged again

One year ago: Germany January 2022: VW Golf back to #1 in market up 8.5%

Full January 2023 Top 60 brands and Top 310 models below.