Skoda delivered 866,800 vehicles worldwide in 2023 and achieved a record market share in the UK of 3.7%. Despite a tough economic climate, sales of the Enyaq EV increased by over 50%. They have also made significant progress in Turkey and Taiwan with sales significantly higher than in 2022, but their move more upmarket has seen declining sales in Eastern Europe and China.
European Success
Germany is still Skoda’s best-selling market with 157,800 vehicles delivered, representing an increase of 17.6%. Their domestic market, the Czech Republic, was responsible for 87,800 sales last year, an increase of 23.4% compared with the previous year. The Enyaq was very successful in Europe as it was the best-selling EV in their home nation and Slovakia, while it topped electric sales charts in Germany in October and November. However, sales were down by 6.2% in Eastern Europe, possibly due to Skoda’s more premium positioning and they sold more than 3,000 fewer cars in the region when compared to 2022.
Best Sellers
The Octavia remains Skoda’s most popular model with 191,900 being sold last year, a whopping 36% increase. The most popular Skoda in the UK was the Karoq with sales up 53% and 13,550 being delivered to customers last year. That was the second most popular globally, followed by their two other SUVs the Kodiaq and Karoq. The Fabia still sells well, with 94,400 being sold last year, but with only a 1.9% increase in sales, it demonstrates the move towards SUVs and crossovers.
New Milestones
Skoda sold 51,900 cars in India last year, taking their total sold to just over 100,000 in only two years. This is a significant achievement for the brand as it shows they can sell well in developing countries and that their cheaper models are also appealing. They also moved into new markets in 2023, with them now selling vehicles in Kazakhstan and Vietnam. Vietnam is an exciting prospect as the Czech brand hopes to maximise the potential of Southeast Asia. They plan to sell more than 40,000 vehicles annually after 2030 and plan to do this with knockdown kits of their Indian market models, which will be assembled in Vietnam.
Electric Choice
1 in 9 Skodas sold last year in the UK was an EV. With the success of the Enyaq, Skoda is looking to increase their options for consumers. Klaus Zellmer, the CEO, confirmed there are six upcoming all-electric models, starting with the Elroq later this year. He also stated that ‘Growing demand across our model lines confirms our strategy of offering customers their choice of combustion, purely electric and hybrid powertrains during the transition to ever more e-mobility’.
