Spain March 2024: Nissan Qashqai takes the lead in first negative market in 14 months

The Nissan Qashqai signs its first Spanish win in over four years.

94,840 new cars found a buyer in Spain in March, a -4.7% year-on-year drop and the first negative month since December 2022. Part of this result is to be attributed to low sales during the “Semana Santa” preceding Easter which fell in March this time vs. April last year. This score remains 25.3% below the 126,984 units of pre-pandemic March 2019. Year-to-date, the market edges up 3.1% to 244,879, 25.2% below the first three months score of 327.341 sales in 2019. Private sales slide -3.9% year-on-year to 34,668 while company cars sink -27.3% to 28,272. Sales to rental companies go completely against the market at +29.7% to 31,900. Year-to-date, private sales are up 2.9% to 103,493, company sales down -14.7% to 84,231 and rental sales up 49.5% to 57,155. Only three regions are in positive this month: Baleares (+17.7%), Comu. Valenciana (+13.9%) and Galicia (+8.8%). 

In the brands ranking, Toyota (+15.6%) tops the charts for the 10th time in the past 11 months with an outstanding 9.9% share. Kia (+6.1%) climbs up six spots on February to 2nd place with 7.7% of the market while Volkswagen (-6.6%) stays at #3 but ranks #5 year-to-date. Seat (-24.2%) and Peugeot (-28.5%) both implode for the month but still rank higher year-to-date than they did over the Full Year 2023 at #2 vs. #5 and #4 vs. #6 respectively. Hyundai (-14.2%) is also in bad shape at #6. In contrast, Nissan surges 63.5% to #7. Below, Volvo (+83.4%), MG (+79.9%), BMW (+21.9%), Dacia (+11.8%) and  Skoda (+7.9%) all defy the market with positive year-on-year results.

Model-wise, the Nissan Qashqai (+27.3%) scores its first monthly win in over four years (since February 2020) and is now #3 year-to-date. The Dacia Sandero (+30.5%) is dislodged from the top spot to #2 but remains #1 so far this year. Excellent performance of the Toyota Yaris (+158.9%) surging 52 ranks on last month to #3, the nameplate’s first Top 10 finish since January 2023 and best since August 2022 (#1). The Toyota Corolla (+31.6%) follows, also with a splendid year-on-year result. The Kia Stonic (+36.6%) storms into the Top 10 at #6, equaling its ranking record also hit in December 2022. The MG ZS (+703.5%!), Nissan Juke (+295.8%) and Peugeot 208 (+6.8%) also shine in the remainder of the Top 10.

Previous month: Spain February 2024: Peugeot scores first win in over two years, Nissan Qahqai (+84.7%) up to #2

One year ago: Spain March 2023: Seat Arona and Toyota C-HR top market surging 66.1%

Full March 2024 Top 56 All brands and Top 312 All models below.