UK Net Importer : 2023

The once mighty UK car industry is but a shadow of its former self. It still exists despite being undermined by substandard management, a militant workforce and public apathy. 

905,000 passenger cars were made in 2023, the best figure in three years. That's just under half the number of cars sold in the UK, the lowest figure ever. Yet 2024 will be worse still. 

Four brands support over 90% of the volume, Nissan, Land Rover, MINI and Toyota. The chart shows production, sales and extrapolates an export figure from that. 

When did the rot set in? During the first half of the 1970's, the UK was a net exporter. Back then, BL was still a large manufacturer, supported by Ford, Chrysler (Hillman) and Vauxhall. They have all since departed the scene. 

On that basis, it's a surprise an industry still exists. If it disappeared I don't know if anyone would notice...or care. Perhaps Sunderland would notice. The car below is the only one made in Wales and I believe the only one ever made in the Principality.

Fisker Deliveries/Production : 2023/2024 Q1

Fisker Automotive folded in 2014 after just approximately 2,000 Fisker Karma cars were sold. The marque was reborn when the California based Fisker Inc created the Ocean electric SUV model to be made at the Magna Styr plant in Austria. 

In late 2022 it was stated that the company had more than 63,000 orders for the vehicle. 300 cars were expected to be made in Q1 2023, going up to 8,000 (Q2), 15,000 (Q3) and 19,000 (Q4). 

It all sounded promising but what was the reality? Fisker released the figures for what actually unfolded as seen below. The 10,536 units produced in 2023 was reached from quarterly figures provided, which was slightly higher than the 10,193 that was the full year number given once the year concluded. 

Regardless, that was still over double the number produced compared to what was delivered for 2023. Clearly there was a disparity in what was planned as opposed to what transpired. A partner was sought from an existing major car making company. 

Production was halted after the first quarter of 2024 without a partner being secured. Magna Steyr is not expecting to make more vehicles. The 2024 figures vary slightly by source so I've estimated them - as seen on the right - but they should be close to accurate if not fully so. One thing is certain and that is thousands of cars are unsold. Fisker has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

It's not an unusual scenario that a start up company has high expectations but fails to deliver on them. Investors risk a great deal but in such a situation will almost certainly fail to get back what they outlayed.  

Portugal Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations for May were flat but YTD up 9%. Peugeot is into its fourth year at the top, having dethroned long time leader Renault. Budget brand Dacia is nicely placed in third spot. I'm all for the success of any brand like this that can make a business case for low cost motoring. Not everyone can afford or wants to commit excess funds for personal mobility.

Data source: ACAP.

Estonia Car/LCV Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down 17% in May and 16% YTD. Toyota maintains its inevitable lead which it has enjoyed for most of this century. Of course, Škoda is closing in so who knows? Subaru is not a strong brand in Europe but it is proving to be popular here. Audi got up to third last year but it seems that isn't sustainable. 

Popular models here include the Škoda Octavia (571), Toyota Corolla (455), Toyota RAV4 (438), Škoda Kodiaq (388), Kia Sportage (284) and Subaru Outback (250).  

A big shout out to the agency that releases this data. Increasingly sales statistics are harder to come by which is a shame as there is clearly a demand from the public to see it. 

The 'Diff' column shows market share change. Data source: Transpordiamet.

Czechia Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations are down 3% in May but up 2% YTD. Škoda is the home town hero and it shows. One in three cars in an open market is an unusually high percentage. Toyota has just passed VW and has Hyundai in its sights. 

The list includes camper vans too so some names may sound strange to those not familiar with them. Chinese brands are entering but not making a huge splash as yet. 

The top models are the Škoda Octavia (10,163), Škoda Scala (4,254), Hyundai i30 (4,130), Škoda Kodiaq (4,097), Škoda Kamiq (4,035), Škoda Fabia (3,814), Škoda Karoq (3,754) and Škoda Superb (2,819). 

Data source: SDA. 

Australia Car/LCV Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were up 5% in May and 12% YTD. While sales are crumbing across the Tasman Sea, they are holding up well here. An anticipated softening of the market is yet to materialise. 

Toyota increased its share beyond 20%, still some way short of 2022 but a tidy gain on 2023's poor showing. Fors remains strong with the Ranger pick up and Everest SUV the backbone of the Brand's success here. Mitsubishi and Nissan have had a good time so far as is Isuzu with its two model line up. 

Allowing for the yellow showing market share loss rather than necessarily a sales volume reduction, that colour predominates further down the chart. Jaguar and Lotus are two notable exceptions. 

The leading models are the Ford Ranger (27,242), Toyota Hilux (22,885), Toyota RAV4 (21,498), Isuzu D-Max (12,939) and Mitsubishi Outlander (11,398). Three of the top four pick ups. Interstingly the Ranger has finally brought the Hilux to heel, something the Ranger did several years ago in New Zealand. 

Data source: Vfacts.

Sweden Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down 12% in May and minus 5% YTD. Volvo's market share of 18.5% is the best since 2018 which is an amazing number considering the fairly limited range of vehicles they offer. Local support at its best. A few years back, I thought that VW would eventually overtake Volvo as it closed the gap between them but that's an unlikely outcome for now at least as the gap widens. 

Toyota has passed Kia and eyeing up the second spot. Mercedes-Benz has come back after a couple of average years. Sweden's a place where things move around fluidly so change is very much the norm.

The best selling models for the year so far were:          Volvo XC60 (6,043)              Tesla Model Y (5,265)    Volvo EX/XC40 (3,774)      Volvo 60 Series (3,570)    Volvo EX30 (2,814).

Data source: Bilsweden.

Netherlands Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down 14% in May and minus 1% YTD. Some of the shifts in sales and ranking are extreme. Volvo leaps into second place from tenth while VW slumps down to sixth from being the top brand a few months earlier. Incentives may be part of the reason as new environmentally friendly models arrive they prosper. But there is more to it. Many in the Netherlands seem to want the latest. 

One new brand is Voyah from China which sells premium electric cars. It has two models sold here so far, the Dream and Free. Will they succeed? Hard to say but the premium market is a hard one to crack. I guess dreams are free. (I just had to say that). 

The best selling models for the year so far were the Volvo EX/XC40 (5,436), Kia Niro (5,167), Volvo EX30 (4,113), Tesla Y (6,298), Toyota Aygo X (3,722) and Tesla 3 (3,560). The Lotus Emeya (see picture below) has arrived with seven sold in May, the first month to enter the sales chart. A four door Lotus?

Data source: Bovag.

UK Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were up 2% in May and 7% ahead for the YTD. VW took the lead in 2021 when Ford abdicated its place as the UK's leading marque. It's turning to more profitable light commercials is the reason but if other manufacturers can justify making less profitable vehicles, I wonder why they can't. Regardless, they won't be coming back to the top again. 

BMW does seem to have its eye on the top spot as it brushed aside Audi and made useful progress. Toyota's dropping three places surprised as in most other places it's doing much better. Vauxhall is also heading the wrong way as is Tesla which has shed eight places in two and a half years. 

Nissan is doing well but as a major manufacturer in the UK should be supported more. Both Land Rover and Jaguar have had a more than useful year so far but will most likely be unable to sustain the momentum at its current level. Marque of the year so far Jaguar.  

Data source: SMMT.

Türkiye Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Türkiye is the new name for the country in case you are wondering about the spelling.  

Registrations for May were down 8% but up 10% YTD. Renault has been the most successful brand in the 21st century but Fiat hit the top for the first time during this time covered, in 2022. 

The Egea (Tipo) model was the reason for that. Chery is a new arrival and a surprisingly successful one at that, bumping VW into fourth. Togg (picture at top) is a local start up brand, producing a compact electric SUV with more to follow. 

Data source: ODD.

Italy Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down 7% in May but up 3% YTD. Fiat has always been at the top and still is but at its lowest market share ever. VW has been the second most popular brand here since 2012, when it passed Ford. For now Toyota has taken that place but it is very close run thing.

Where would Fiat be without the Panda model? YTD it has achieved 53,439 registrations. That is well ahead of the Dacia Sandero (26,166) and the Citroën C3 (21,660). Next are the Lancia Ypsilon (20,539), Jeep Avenger (16,940) and the Toyota Yaris Cross (16,208). 

The new Ypsilon is here as an electric car and replacement for its 13 year old predecessor of the same name. It is the sole model for the brand but two new models will be added over the next four years. 

Data source: UNRAE.

Argentina Car/LCV Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down -13% in May and -22% YTD. Toyota displaced VW as the top brand in 2021 and is now well ahead, despite conceding some of its lead in 2024. VW and Fiat have improved their share but less sales is the order of the day with the market depressed. Chrysler included Jeep and Ram, both going well this year but especially the latter. 

The top models YTD are the Fiat Cronos (13,816), Peugeot 208 (12,383), Toyota Hilux (9,636), Ford Ranger (8,585) and the Toyota Yaris (8,387).

Ireland Car/LCV Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Looking at passenger car and light commercial vehicle sales, a 7% increase YTD was positive but the -17% for May less so. The beginning of the year is huge here and later on little gets sold so a good start shouldn't get overhauled. 

Toyota has cemented its place at the top, pulling away from VW. Škoda had a good start at second but will have to settle for one place lower. Ford's reducing its passenger car involvement inevitably means losing market share. Nissan and Land Rover are doing OK. 

The Hyundai Tucson is the leading passenger car model (3,366) from the Škoda Octavia (3,100) and Kia Sportage (2,524). For LCVs it's the Renault Trafic (1,633), Renault Master (1,088) and Peugeot Partner (1,034).

Data source: SIMI. Photos Škoda & Nissan Facebook.

Finland Passenger Car Sales : 2024 (Jan-May)

Registrations were down 18% in May and 15% YTD. The data below compares market share with five months of 2024 with a complete 2023. However as all increases exceeded 15%, all market share gains were also increases in volume. Not often that happens. 

The winner here is Toyota, a brand that has put emphasis on rallying in a country that loves that motor sport. They currently sell one in five passenger cars sold here, for those who find maths not their strong suit. The top three models for the year so far are Toyotas; the Corolla (2,044 units), Yaris Cross (1,400) and Yaris (1,382). 

Volvo has also had a good year, led by the new EX30 model (1,001). Škodahas slipped a place despite the Octavia selling well (1,249). The Nissan Qashqai (973) helped that brand to a 54% increase. Tesla did a belly flop as did Peugeot and Opel. BYD has arrived so we will see how that progresses as it builds its dreams. 

Data source: Tilastokeskus.