The Alicante car market began to rebound after about three years of stagnation. The downturn during the pandemic and the subsequent factory shutdowns kept sector sales figures low due to a global supply shortage. By late 2022, conditions started to improve and the recovery accelerated into 2023, with the first quarter of this year setting new records for car and SUV registrations in the province.
This trend is corroborated by the latest data from the associations Faconauto, Ganvam and Anfac, which show a strong sales upturn. Alicante’s gains outpaced the national average as local tourism demand remained subdued in certain periods but the overall market strengthened.
In the January-to-March period, Alicante registered 11,210 cars, a jump of 98.16% from the same span the previous year, well above Spain’s overall 66.1% increase. Industry representatives note that a substantial portion of this upturn reflects orders fulfilled from last year, with long waiting times finally easing as supply chains normalized and production resumed across European plants.
Automobile dealers in the province confirm the scale of the improvement, though they caution that new deals, while rising, have not yet reached the same pace as the higher registration figures. According to Autonáutica, the Ford dealer led by Guinea Pérez, more units were delivered in the period than ever before, highlighting the impact of normalized chip supply and more stable component availability on sales momentum.
As the entrepreneur noted, the upsurge in purchases in the province is partly visible in the fleets of car rental companies. In recent years, fleet renewal was constrained by reduced business activity and manufacturers’ prioritization of other customer segments, which included higher discounts for private buyers. With production constraints easing, rental firms began replenishing fleets more aggressively.
Lack of cars threatens tourist rentals
With production cuts now a thing of the past and vehicle availability improving, rental agencies resumed bulk purchases. In Alicante, the first three months saw 3,741 rental car registrations, a tenfold increase over the same period last year, underscoring the rebound in the tourist market and leasing activity.
Europeans
The revival of tourism also boosted private sales, with an additional 4,575 records recorded in the quarter, a 35.6% rise. Demand from European buyers with second homes along the Costa Blanca, which had fallen during the pandemic, helped prop up the market. Antonia Solo, of the Benidorm Kia dealership, notes that new buyers from Ukraine, Russia and other Eastern countries joined traditional buyers from Britain, Germany and Northern Europe, as reflected in the region’s home sales data.
This growth came even as higher interest rates shifted some household savings towards vehicle purchases. Some families postponing home purchases redirected disposable income to car buying and other durable goods, effectively supporting a broader consumer shift toward mobility.
Company fleets also contributed, with registrations totaling 2,894, up 51.76% year over year, signaling sustained demand from businesses renewing corporate mobilities.
Hybrid and electric vehicles accounted for a significant share of registrations in the province. During the first quarter, 6,421 of Alicante’s total registrations were gasoline vehicles, representing 57.28% of the mix, higher than Spain’s national average. Hybrid and electric models made up about a third of sales, at 33.05% below the national level, while diesel represented 9.67% of the market. These figures illustrate a shift toward lower-emission options amid evolving consumer preferences and policy incentives.
Overall, the data suggests a resilient recovery for the Alicante automotive market, underpinned by improved supply chains, renewed tourist activity, and a diversified mix of buyers including private individuals, rental fleets and European buyers seeking second homes along the coast. The region’s dealers emphasize that ongoing improvements in credit conditions and selective discounts will continue to influence buying behavior in the months ahead. (Fuente: Faconauto, Ganvam, Anfac)