Photo: Volkswagen
The analysts at JATO Dynamics have published the numbers for the European car market in October 2019. Last month, no fewer than 1,208,700 vehicles were registered in the European Union and United Kingdom, the highest volume since October 2009.
Even though the figures may come as encouraging at first glance, the tally still is 0.8 percent down on the year-to-date period of 2018. So far in 2019, JATO Dynamics reports that 13,284,600 vehicles were registered in the Old Continent. As the headline implies, the Volkswagen Golf soldiers on as the most popular choice while SUVs of all shapes and sizes are gaining traction. Electrified vehicles are more popular than ever before too, European customers buying 115,700 units in October ‘19.
In terms of demand, hybrids are 29 percent up compared to October ‘18, plug-in hybrids by 79 percent, and electrics by 32 percent. “The results show that despite the high price of electrified vehicles, consumer interest is definitely there, and the latest market launches are being well-received,” explains JATO Dynamics analyst Felipe Munoz.
“Europe is slowly equalling the USA and China in terms of SUV penetration,” he added, underlining that small and compact crossovers make up 79 percent of utility vehicles registered in this period. With a record market share of 40 percent, it’s only a matter of time until conventional body styles (hatchbacks and sedans) will be on the back foot.
In terms of market growth, 17 of the 27 countries analyzed by JATO Dynamics have posted double-digit improvements. Romania leads the rankings with a year-over-year growth of 57.3 percent, followed by Ireland and Sweden with 29.5 and 28.4 percent.
Negative results were also posted in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Lithuania (minus 6.7, 10.3, and 11.5 percent), but volume-wise, Germany reigns supreme with 284,926 registrations alongside France (188,323), Italy (157,164), and the United Kingdom (143,304). The lowest volume posted in October 2019 is attributed to Latvia, where 1,482 vehicles were registered last month.
On an ending note, one in ten vehicles registered in Europe is an SUV from the Volkswagen Group. Although the T-Cross and T-Roc could be a lot better, there’s no denying that Wolfsburg rolled out the two models in order to assert dominance over competing crossovers such as the Hyundai Kona and Ford Puma.
In terms of demand, hybrids are 29 percent up compared to October ‘18, plug-in hybrids by 79 percent, and electrics by 32 percent. “The results show that despite the high price of electrified vehicles, consumer interest is definitely there, and the latest market launches are being well-received,” explains JATO Dynamics analyst Felipe Munoz.
“Europe is slowly equalling the USA and China in terms of SUV penetration,” he added, underlining that small and compact crossovers make up 79 percent of utility vehicles registered in this period. With a record market share of 40 percent, it’s only a matter of time until conventional body styles (hatchbacks and sedans) will be on the back foot.
In terms of market growth, 17 of the 27 countries analyzed by JATO Dynamics have posted double-digit improvements. Romania leads the rankings with a year-over-year growth of 57.3 percent, followed by Ireland and Sweden with 29.5 and 28.4 percent.
Negative results were also posted in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Lithuania (minus 6.7, 10.3, and 11.5 percent), but volume-wise, Germany reigns supreme with 284,926 registrations alongside France (188,323), Italy (157,164), and the United Kingdom (143,304). The lowest volume posted in October 2019 is attributed to Latvia, where 1,482 vehicles were registered last month.
On an ending note, one in ten vehicles registered in Europe is an SUV from the Volkswagen Group. Although the T-Cross and T-Roc could be a lot better, there’s no denying that Wolfsburg rolled out the two models in order to assert dominance over competing crossovers such as the Hyundai Kona and Ford Puma.
Google News