Electric headlights barely cut through the tunnel of Spain’s automobile market as the industry faced a slower pace this May. Sales were reported by the Spanish Association of Automobiles and Tractors Manufacturers, known as Anfac, with a total of 84,977 units registered—down 10.9 percent from May of the previous year. There are subtle differences behind the headline drop: the private and business channels posted gains of 4.3 percent and 3.3 percent respectively, yet these increases could not offset the overall decline. The leasing sector, in particular, collapsed by 41.4 percent, significantly influencing the month’s results. — Source: Anfac
Across the year to date, the Spanish market tallies 318,487 registrations, which marks an 11.5 percent decline versus the first five months of 2021. While the market appears to be shrinking, buyers in May showed persistent interest in both individual and corporate purchases. This uptick suggests demand resilience even in challenging economic and international conditions. Experts caution that the May performance might be a one-off event rather than a clear sign of a sustained upturn, underscoring the need to monitor subsequent months for clearer trends. — Source: Anfac
Visibly, light commercial vehicle registrations dropped sharply, down 32.7 percent to 10,914 units. In contrast, the 2021 figure for the same category stood at 46,369 units, reflecting a 36.1 percent year-on-year decrease. Cargo and heavy vehicle segments showed a mixed picture: sales of industrial vehicles, buses, coaches, and minibuses rose 5.1 percent to 10,419 units, yet overall, these categories still posted a 1.7 percent annual decline. — Source: Anfac
More petrol, less alternatives
The May market continued its shift toward gasoline-powered vehicles. Diesel share stood at 45.1 percent, up 1.5 points from April, while diesel vehicles represented 16.6 percent of the total, down 1 percent from April. Alternative powertrains, including hybrids, plug-ins, and gas vehicles, contracted by 0.5 percentage points to 38.3 percent of registrations. For the year to date, gasoline cars accounted for 42.7 percent of sales, alternatives for 39.8 percent, and diesel vehicles for 17.5 percent. — Source: Anfac
The growing dominance of petrol models appears to be nudging average emissions higher, with new cars emitting an average of 122 grams of CO2 per kilometer. This figure marks a 2.9 percent decrease versus May 2021 but a 0.2 percent uptick from April. The trend signals a mixed environmental impact as the market leans toward traditional fuels while alternative options struggle to gain momentum. — Source: Anfac
Seat reclaims the throne
Seat continued a modest topsy-turvy year for a brand that has often led Spain’s sales rankings. May proved decisive for the brand through the success of the Arona and Ibiza models, which together propelled Seat to the highest sales count for the month. The Arona delivered 4,113 registrations in May, contributing to a year-to-date total of 9,812 and cementing its status as a year-long favorite. The Ibiza added 1,846 units in May, helping it reach ninth place for the month. In the top three, Hyundai Tucson led with 2,891 units, followed by Peugeot 2008 with 2,582. Seat’s overall May performance helped the brand maintain leadership in the month’s rankings. — Source: Anfac
Across the broader market, Seat registered a total of 8,118 units in May and emerged as the leading manufacturer for the month. The Martorell company posted 25,265 sales so far this year, placing it behind Toyota in the year-to-date bestseller list, with 28,885 units. Last month, Hyundai rose to a podium position with 7,207 units, while Kia finished 2021 with 24,730 units. — Source: Anfac