The market for passenger cars and SUVs totaled 68,803 units in September, accumulating an increase of 18.5% during 2023, but 15% lower before the pandemic
Registrations of light commercial vehicles fell 1.2% in August, with 8,931 sales
Sales of commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and minibuses grew by 87.8% in August with 2,643 units
Madrid, October 4, 2023. Sales of passenger cars and SUVs[1] They accumulated a total of 68,803 units in September, which represents an increase of 2.3% compared to the same month of the previous year. Although the market once again adds a positive figure, this ninth month has registered a lower growth rate than previous months marked, among other reasons, by high inflation and political uncertainty. In the accumulated of the year, there are already 711,380 units registered during 2023, which, although it represents an increase of 18.5% compared to the previous year, is still 15.8% lower than the sales registered in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
The average CO2 emissions of passenger cars sold in September remain at 116.7 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled, 1.3% lower than the average emissions of new passenger cars sold in the same month of 2022. During 2023, Emissions stand at 118.2 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled, 2.2% less than the same period of the previous year.
By channels, it is the sales directed to companies and individuals that manage to improve their results compared to the previous year. Specifically, units aimed at companies registered an increase of 4.9% in September, with 32,096 sales. Similarly, the individual channel, although still lower than the pre-pandemic figures, managed to add 33,155 sales, with an increase of 9.4%. For their part, renters, after the summer period, fell 43.9%, with 3,552 units in September.
LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Registrations of light commercial vehicles achieved a growth of 15.5%, with 11,061 units. Until September, a total of 104,773 vehicles have been sold, which represents an increase of 20.6%. In sales by channel, only sales to self-employed workers registered a decrease of 11.2%, with 1,631 units. While both companies, with 8,231 sales, and rental companies, with 1,199 vehicles, increased by 22.1% and 20.3%, respectively.
INDUSTRIAL AND BUSES
In September, registrations of commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and minibuses reached a new monthly increase, with an increase of 0.5% and 2,338 units. In the total for the year, it accumulates 23,049 units, which represents an increase of 26.7% compared to 2022. By type of vehicle, industrial vehicles registered a decrease of 12.2%, with 1,705 sales, while buses, coaches and minibuses grow by 54.8% to 633 units.
STATEMENTS
Félix García, director of communication and marketing at ANFAC, explained that “September closes with a slight increase in passenger car sales despite having one less business day than in the same month of 2022. All months of the year have closed positively. . But it is no less true that political uncertainty and a high interest rate scenario have had a dent in the volume. A market with close to 70,000 units for a month like September is not a great number. In any case, the year continues to be positive with an increase of 18.5%. With these data and rising inflation persisting, we are not optimistic about reaching the 950,000 units planned for the end of the year.”
Raúl Morales, communication director of FACONAUTO, indicated that “the registrations for the month of September leave us with a stable market and this, perhaps, is the best news if we take into account that consumption suffers the same difficulties as months ago, mainly, the increase in interest rates. If these difficulties continue, why is the market growing during the year? Because there is more stock in the dealerships, the entry of cars into the dealerships has been regularized, and this, logically, translates into registrations. Looking towards the final stretch of the year, the fact that there is more stock in dealerships, that there are more cars available, will open good opportunities for buyers in the last quarter, but it will not be enough for us to change our forecast closure that we maintain between 930,000 and 940,000 registered units.
Ganvam’s communications director, Tania Puche, pointed out that “passenger car registrations have gone through their particular September slope, although, before anticipating a change in trend, we must consider several aspects: on the one hand, the calendar effect : we have had one less business day than in September of last year, which influences the result of the comparison; On the other hand, the good performance of the individual channel, which historically has been the thermometer of the market’s health, and last month they have boosted sales, concentrating around half of the purchases. Furthermore, another interesting factor is that commercial vehicle registrations – which are considered an early indicator of economic confidence – have closed growing in double digits, coinciding with Brussels’ improvement in growth expectations for the Spanish economy for 2023. Therefore, we face the final stretch of the year with uncertainty, knowing that achieving a stable political scenario would contribute to not further weakening a market that will close the year around 25% below its natural volume.”