European new car market shows no signs of recovery at the beginning of 2013

February 18, 2013: According to the latest new car sales analysis from JATO Dynamics, leading provider of automotive intelligence, the Volkswagen Golf continues to be Europe’s best-selling car, despite a fall of 17.8 percent in January sales compared to 2012. Four B-segment cars -- the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio and Peugeot 208 -- complete the top 5.

JATO’s key analysis of the market:

* The European new car market shows no sign of recovery, with January sales 9.6% less than a year earlier.

* Great Britain was the only ‘Big Five’ market to experience growth in January with sales increasing 11.5%.

* The battle among the leading B-segment cars for second place in the market is very close, only a few hundred units separating the Fiesta, Polo and Clio, with the 208 not far behind.

* Opel/Vauxhall, BMW and Mercedes were the only brands in the Top 10 to record increased sales compared to January 2012, up 2.2%, 5.5% and 1.9% respectively.

Sales in the Netherlands fell significantly in January, down 30.4 percent on a year earlier. This is primarily the result of an overall decline in consumer confidence due to the impact of rising taxes, declining pensions and a stagnant housing market. In addition, January 2013 saw the tightening of emission boundaries that drive company car taxation.

Out of the ‘Big Five’ European markets, only Great Britain saw any growth in January. Germany, France, Italy and Spain all experienced continued falls in vehicle registrations.

Opel/Vauxhall has recorded a 2.2 percent increase in January sales compared with 2012. The new Mokka model has been particularly well received by the market, recording almost 5,500 units sold in January, while the high-volume Corsa and Astra models also increased sales. BMW and Mercedes-Benz were the only other brands in the Top 10 to record increased sales.

Outside the Top 10, Mazda, with sales up 25.0 percent thanks to the CX-5 crossover SUV, and Dacia, with sales up by 6.0 percent thanks to the introduction of the second-generation Sandero hatchback and the new Lodgy MPV, are the rising stars of the market in January.

Commenting on the findings, Gareth Hession, vice-president (Research) at JATO, said: “The new year has not seen any renewed demand for new cars in much of Europe. The market remains challenging and highly competitive.”





Data source: JATO Dynamics