Bosnia-Herzegovina Vehicle Sales : 2020

Bosnia-Herzegovina has had a long and at times infamous history. One major event that took place here in more recent times was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which proved to be the catalyst for what became known as World War I. Bringing it down to very recent times, it was the location of a terrible war, as the former Yugoslavia fragmented into different nations.

In 2020 it is an independent country with a population of about 3.3 million and nearly 7,000 passenger cars were sold here, down on the usual 10,000 as the pandemic disrupts economies. Registrations were -32%. The list below has green for increase, pale blue for sales reduction but market share improvement. Yellow is down in both cases.

Škoda is the leading brand, with a 20.5% market share, followed by VW, Dacia and Renault. It was a good year for most premium marques, with Audi the best selling and now up to 8th place. Both Opel and Ford have been traditionally good selling brands here but as with many other countries in Europe pulling back on the volume.

Slovenia Top 50 Models : 2020

The Renault Clio (pictured above) has been made in Novo Mesto in southeastern Slovenia since 1997. It sits well on top of the best selling models here, outselling the second-best by two to one. Some of the movements in registrations are dramatic, to say the least. 

Data source: ADS.

Australia Premium Comparison : 2018-20

Registrations fell 6% this year but well short of the 14% for all sales. Mercedes retains the lead but the BMW Group is slowly closing the gap. JLR has always been popular but seems to be pulling back on the volume. 

Slovenia Car Sales : 2020

Registrations were -48% in December and -27% YTD, so a damp end to a trying year. Although that sounds very depressed, it's the lowest year since 2014 which isn't that long ago and only 13% below the previous decade's average. 

Renault closed the gap to VW and Peugeot improved its share. Both Hyundai and Kia took their chance at improving their rankings. Neither Opel nor Ford are pushing sales volume it seems. Land Rover did extremely well but SsangYong even better, although from a low position. MG arrived as it spreads across Europe. 

Data source: ADS.

Australia Top 50 Models : 2020

 

The Toyota Hilux continues to defy gravity and hold onto the top spot. Its reputation for reliability protects it from other contenders. The Ford Ranger keeps pressing and eventually who knows? Across the Tasman Sea on NZ, the Ranger brought the Hilux to heel several years ago. The RAV4 had a very strong run in 2020 but the Corolla will presumably gradually head south from here as cars become less desirable.

Brazil Premium Comparison : 2018-20

Things changed here for the premium marques. BMW had a good year and consolidated its position at the top. Mercedes fell two places so Audi found itself still fourth despite doing that well. The big winner here was Volvo, who pushed into second place. JLR wasn't too flash but is still well ahead of an improving Porsche. Lexus sales halved!

Australia Car/LCV Sales : 2020

MG has taken Australia by storm

For all vehicle registrations, they were +14% in December and -14% for the twelve months. The numbers not looking too bad but a flare-up with Covid-19 could hamper the recovery. The economy has been somewhat depressed for a while now so the sales data has been surprisingly strong. Despite that note of optimism, vehicle sales are the lowest since 2003. 

Toyota is zooming ahead with a share that is hard to believe in an open market. Mazda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi are being left in its wake, with Ford not quite able to keep up. Holden is being wound down and will disappear for the first time in many decades. MG just keeps on getting better along with other Chinese brands. RAM sales have gone really well, not that far behind Jeep. 

Data source: VFACTS.

Brazil Top 50 Models : 2020

Brazil Car Sales : 2020

Registrations were down 10% in December and -29% for the year. The country is perceived to have taken a low key approach to COVID-19 and its effects on car sales hit somewhat late but improved by December. Sales were the worst since around 2006 and just over a third lower than the average for the last decade. 

Only one brand increased (green) plenty lost sales but improved their share (pale blue) and the rest were doing it tougher (yellow).

GM has a strong following here and it about maintained its share, ending on 18.9%. VW, Fiat and Hyundai all closed the gap but Renault and Ford pulled back. Chinese brand Chery now makes cars in Brazil and has benefited from the advantage that provides. 

Ford has now announced it is pulling out of manufacturing in Brazil, started something like a century ago. It will still source cars from nearby plants in other countries in South America. Sales will be on a more limited scale. Mercedes-Benz started making passenger cars in Brazil in 2016 but has decided it isn't viable to continue. 

Data source: ANFAVEA, ABEIVA.

Argentina Top 50 Models : 2020

The Fiat Cronos was up 49% and took 3rd place

As the data includes light commercial vehicles, the Toyota Hilux is top, although with a reduced majority. Other pick-up trucks fared better. VW had a good year here in trying circumstances.   

Data source: SIOMAA.

Argentina Car/LCV Sales : 2020

It must be a challenge selling cars in Argentina. High import duty means opening a factory there to have any chance of having a meaningful presence. Then the economy seems to be synchronised to work in harmony with a yo-yo. Trying to keep production as even as possible would be difficult. Importers build up sales, only to see them decimated.

In that environment, sales for December were -5% and  -27% for the full twelve months. This was the lowest figure since 2004 and 55% lower than the last decades average! 

VW was -19% but improved its lead over Toyota and Renault. Ford and Chrysler would have been happy with what they managed to achieve. Because they don't make cars here, Hyundai and Kia took less than half of one per cent share between them.

Data source: SIOMAA.

USA Top 50 Models : 2020

Getting data for the US that is guaranteed reliable is becoming more of an issue as car makers shy away from releasing any more than they can get away with. Tesla doesn't even bother, an attitude I'd gladly ignore the company over. I can get information but it is variable. 

GM are pleased with the performance of their Silverado truck. Added to its twin sibling - the GMC Sierra - it actually outsold the Ford F-Series. Ford had transitional model constraints which affected sales though. With the market depressed, most models were down. 

Estonia Car Sales : 2020

Toyota does very well in Estonia

Registrations were -22% in December and -30% for the year so the slow sales continue. How did brands go in protecting their market share? In the chart below green says sales gain, pale blue market share up but yellow not so. 

Toyota for example increased its slice of the pie from 15.5% to 17.4% although registrations dropped by 22%. Škoda managed to stay with them but Renault found it a bit too hot in the kitchen. Being a smaller market, fluctuations are more pronounced. With Estonia, the only one of the Baltic states that are open regarding car sales statistics leaves me the impression it is the more open and progressive of the three.

Data source: Maanteeamet.

Colombia Top 50 : 2020

Chevrolet tops the chart with the Onix (pictured above), ahead of several Renault models. The Mazda CX-30 has made an impact on its arrival, reaching 7th spot. In a market with tariffs to protect local manufacturing, certain brands will inevitably dominate as we see below. 

Chile Sales : 2020

Registrations were -11% in December and -33% for the year so registrations are very depressed here. Good for balance of payments I guess as Chile imports all its cars. Below, the list has green for increase, pale blue decrease in volume but up for market share and yellow down in both criteria.

Chinese brands seem to be doing better than others. MG has been racing up the list and now sit 6th, nearly doubling its market share. Chery, Changan, Brilliance, Haval and FAW also moving on up. Premium marques generally haven't done well though.

The best selling passenger car was the MG ZS, with 5,886 units registered. Next was the Suzuki Baleno (5,654), Chevrolet Sail (5,228), Kia Rio (4,842) and Chevrolet Spark GT (4,203).

Data source: ANAC.

Colombia Vehicle Sales : 2020

After this journey, a duster will definitely be needed

This data includes passenger cars, SUVs, pick-ups and taxis. Registrations were down 30.8%, which wasn't too flash but these are unusual times. It has protection to encourage local manufacturing, which is understandable as opposed to some economically successful pro-export / anti-import Asian countries but I digress. 

Below green relates to a sales increase, pale blue a market share gain and yellow a below-par performance. Renault holds a generous lead with about a quarter of the market. GM follows on 17% then Mazda back on 10%. The rest are in single-digit territory. As you scrutinise the list below, you will see the Oransh brand. If you wonder what that is, you won't be alone. It is a local electric car and how it progresses will be interesting.

Data source: Andimos.

I cannot endorse the parking on display here

UK Premium Comparison : 2018-20

Premium registrations took a hit with a 25.6% fall. The BMW Group and Mercedes both lost share, which Audi improved slightly. JLR held its own but the next four all improved theirs. Volvo's Polestar arrived late in the year. 

Picture source: Autocar UK. Data source: SMMT.

Austria Premium Comparison : 2020

Audi took 1 in 5 premium sales

The BMW Group is the leading premium company here but it lost some of its margin. Still, it's back to where it was two years ago. JLR had a poor 2019 but regained some share this year. Tesla is more consistent but there is an element of fluctuating fortunes. Perhaps supply issues in 2020 added to that.

Data source: Statistik Austria.

Liechtenstein Car Sales : 2020

In this tiny principality, they take the trouble to report car sales by brand so the least I can do is present them here to a wide-eyed public. Registrations were -23% in 2020. To have three premium marques in the top four of any country's car registration list is rare but it is just so here. VW was relegated to fourth placing at the halfway point and used the last six months to rectify the situation. It did, just. Things can change quickly in a small market.

Renault, Porsche and Tesla all did well while a few like Opel went down by a sizable degree. Of course, next year it could all be different. 

Picture source: Max Heidegger.
Data source: Liechtensteinische Landesverwaltung

UK Car Sales : 2020

Land Rover battling tough times with resilience

Total registrations were down just 11% in December, taking the year to -29%. It ended up the lowest registration total since 2002! Unit sales dropped by 680,000 for the full twelve months compared to the year before, which is a mountain of cars. Only electric and hybrid vehicles were unaffected and in fact were well up (on admittedly small numbers). 

Focusing on whether brands are taking more of the market or yielding ground, the chart below shows how they are doing in that regard, with green being positive, pale blue increase in market share only and yellow negative on both counts. 

VW took the top spot from Ford for the first three months but Ford struck back to take top honours but it is surely only a matter of time before Ford relinquishes its long-held leadership. Ford is shifting its focus toward LCVs. So VW ended up the bridesmaid with BMW, Mercedes and Audi following, I must clarify this is the UK you are looking at. Toyota is doing well as it should with the range of cars it currently has, but Vauxhall is realigning itself with more emphasis on profit.

Nissan is making a market share comeback, which considering its investment in the UK is what one should expect at the very least. Land Rover nearly made the top ten and Jaguar held its market share. MG is growing spectacularly and so is Tesla, although their sales figure is an estimate so who knows.

Data source: SMMT.

We all want to know what's around the corner

Austria Car Sales : 2020

Registrations were up 5% in December but understandably -24% for the year. VW has a healthy lead, although it did lose out slightly in the market share department. Škoda, SEAT and BMW all made useful progress for the twelve months. Opel and Mazda are moving into their realignment phase. Below, we show who has gained (green) or lost (yellow) sales in these trying times, the majority losing. 

Data source: Statistik Austria.

Finland Premium Comparison : 2018-20

 

JLR is feeling the cold in Finland

Volvo is vey strong in Finland but did lose ground with premium share down from 36.6% to 32.5%. The BMW Group improved their share nicely. JLR was a small player years ago here, had a surge up until 2019. Was it supply issues, as one regular commenter at this site suggested? 

Data source: Autolan Tiedotuskeskus.

Serbia Car/LCV Sales : 2020

Renault is climbing in Serbia

Sales for December were -12% and -23% for the year,  so we can appreciate a shift in the right direction was achieved at year's end. Škoda is the leading brand but it didn't have a great year, but then neither did #2 Fiat (formerly FAS). The gap to the next brand was substantial but it was reduced by a climbing Renault.