Ireland August 2023: Skoda best-seller for the first time in stable market

The Octavia helps push Skoda to the brands top spot.

The Irish new car market edges down -0.4% year-on-year in August to 8,119 sales. Thanks to seven consecutive months of year-on-year gains prior to this month, the year-to-date tally is up 18.3% to 112,717. In the brands ranking, Skoda (+45.5%) brilliantly takes the lead of the charts for the first time ever (we have no record of Skoda ever ranking #1 in Ireland before) with 12.7% share vs. 8.5% so far this year. Hyundai (+119.9%) and Kia (+29.3%) are also in outstanding shape whereas Volkswagen (-44.3%) sis at #4. Leader in July and year-to-date, Toyota (-8%) falls to #5 for the month with just 7.5% share, near half its year-to-date share (13.9%). Tesla (+633.3%) and MG (+194%) surge ahead.

Model-wise, the Hyundai Tucson (+257.6%) repeats at #2 with 4.1% share, cementing its YTD domination. The Skoda Octavia (+59.8%) soars 11 spots on July to end the month in 2nd place with 3.6% of the market. The Hyundai Kona (+326.9%) also post a surreal gain whereas the Kia Sportage (-24%) is in trouble. The Kia Sorento (+169%), Skoda Kodiaq (+100%) and Tesla Model 3 (+291.7%) ensure six of the top 7 models vastly outpace the market. The MG 4 advances one rank on last month to a record 8th place with the VW ID.4 (-67.3%) and Tesla Model Y rounding out the Top 10.

Previous month: Ireland July 2023: Toyota Corolla Cross #2, MG 4 #9, market up 23.9%

One year ago: Ireland August 2022: VW ID.4 best-seller in euphoric market (+36.6%)

Full August 2023 Top 40 All brands and Top 220 All models below.