Skoda’s sales fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2022 as the semiconductor shortage, supply-chain challenges and rising energy costs limited production volumes.
The Czech company maintains a “high order backlog”, it said in a statement, demonstrating “strong customer demand” for its cars.
In total, Skoda delivered 731,300 cars during 2022, 149,600 (16.7%) less than in the previous year.
All but two of the brand’s models suffered a reduction in sales. The Octavia fastback/estate remained the most popular choice, with 141,100 sales, but this was almost 30% down on 2021, itself a down year.
The family car remains one of Skoda’s most important products, both fiscally and for the brand’s identity.
Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer told Autocar in September: “The Octavia is rock solid. It has got its customer base, and we’re market leaders for the [estate] segment. Never change a winning team. I think that car is Skoda [through and through].”
The Kamiq crossover and Kodiaq SUV took second and third place with 96,300 and 94,500 sales respectively – the former a 20.3% dip from the previous year.
Skoda’s only models to record growth in 2022 were the Enyaq iV electric SUV, with 53,700 sales (up 20% year on year), and the Indian-market Kushaq with 26,800 (up 110.2%).
Although the latter appears to have gained significant traction, it should be noted that 2022 was the Kushaq’s first full calendar year on sale.
More significant was the fact that the model, developed especially for India, prompted growth in the region of 127.7% year on year to 51,900 cars. That was sufficient to make India Skoda’s third-largest single market, behind the Czech Republic (71,200) and Germany (134,200).
This year’s launch of the Slavia, also developed for India, should prompt further growth.