Germany January 2026: Skoda up to record #2, places Elroq inside Top 10 for the first time

The Skoda Elroq is up to #8 in Germany in January.

New car sales in Germany recede by a steep -6.6% year-on-year in January to 193,981. BEV sales are up  a splendid 23.7% year-on-year to 42,692 and 22% share vs. 16.6% a year ago in January 2025.

Market leader Volkswagen (-17.5%) is hit hard but at 19.7% it is above its Full Year 2025 level of 19.6%. The year-ago comparison base was particularly high as it reached its best share in a decade at 22.3%. Skoda (+12.2%) defies the negative market with an impressive double-digit gain leading it to a record 2nd place, also reached in June 2024. Mercedes (-6.5%) is up one spot on last month to #3, distancing BMW (+5.4%) and Audi (-4%). Opel (+27.4%) posts a formidable gain but remains in 6th place above Ford (-11.1%), Hyundai (+0.5%) and Seat (-27.9%). Fiat (+87.2%) surges to #10 vs. #18 last month and #15 over the Full Year 2025. BYD (+1018.7%) outsells Tesla (+1.9%) again at #22 vs. #26.

Model-wise, the VW Golf (-15.1%) sports an easy victory at 3.4% share and despite falling sharply year-on-year. This is because the VW Tiguan (-36.5%), cannibalised by the new Tayron, and T-Roc (-40.3%), impacted by its generation changeover, are both in complete freefall. The Skoda Octavia (-2.1%) takes advantage and climbs to a record third place, also reached in July 2020, January 2024 and July 2024. The Opel Corsa (+50.4%) and Audi A6 (+96.6%) are both in excellent shape and follow, ahead of the Mercedes GLC (-0.1%). Below, the Skoda Elroq (+1014.6%) celebrates one year in market with a first ever Top 10 finish at #8. The VW Tayron (+6984.6%) reaches a new ranking record at #13.

Previous post: Germany Full Year 2025: VW Golf celebrates 45 straight years at #1

One year ago: Germany January 2025: Cupra and VW ID.7 break into Top 10 in negative market

Full January 2026 Top 61 All brands and Top 355 All models below.