Dacia, Tesla and Citroen were the biggest market share winners in H1 2019 as they defied the registrations decline seen elsewhere in Europe. Bucking the dip seen in many European markets, these brands were able to increase their market share thanks to their latest launches. Their strength was based on specific models that are already playing an important role.
Dacia recorded the highest market share gain during the first half of 2019. Its registrations jumped from 280,500 units in H1 2018 to 312,900 in H1 2019, a rise of 12%. The increase is good considering the overall market’s situation, with total registrations down by 3.1%. Dacia’s market share increased by 0.5 percentage points to 3.73%, a record for the Romanian brand.
Romania is unsurprisingly where Dacia has the highest market share, at 30%. That’s higher than Volskwagen’s market share in Germany (19%), Peugeot and Renault in France (18% and 19% respectively), and Fiat in Italy (15%). Only outperformed by Skoda in the Czech Republic, who hold 34% of registrations in the country.
Until February, Tesla was known for big and expensive electric cars. But the Model 3 launch allowed European consumers to access the brand’s technology and drive a pure electric modern car for less. As a result, the new Tesla became Europe’s top selling electric car in less than six months.
This is good news for the Californian-based company, considering the global challenges it’s currently facing. There’s concern among shareholders about the company’s deteriorating financial situation. Q1 results were below expectations and trade tensions between the US and China are only making things more complicated. Meanwhile, the company is building a mega factory in China which isn’t yet able to operate. Added to this, Tesla has the highest exposure to US imports in China.
The SUV offensive started by Citroen with the C3 Aircross in 2017 and the C5 Aircross in 2018 is paying off. The models became the brand’s second and third best-selling products in H1 2019, counting for 29% of Citroen’s European registrations during the first half of the year.
Similarly, Seat was also boosted by SUVs. While its traditional nameplates posted declines despite their age (current Ibiza was introduced in 2017 and its registrations dropped by 17% during June), the company’s SUVs continue to gain customers. Their registrations totaled 116,000 units, up by 37%, and counting for 44% of the brand’s volume. The Tarraco was the fourth best-selling mainstream midsize SUV in June.
BMW was able to maintain its registrations (-0.2%), which is a good thing in a negative environment. Unlike its rivals Mercedes (-0.9%) and Audi (-6%), it increased its market share from 4.94% to 5.09%. The reason? Demand for its SUVs soared by 20% while its car registrations (excluding sport cars) fell by 14%.