Seat had a magnificent 2018, with sales that exceeded expectations and brought more clients into showrooms. Globally, SEAT sold a total of 517,600 vehicles, 10.5% more than in 2017 (468,400). This result is the largest sales volume in SEAT’s 68 year history and exceeds the record set in 2000 (514,800 cars). Since 2012, SEAT sales have grown by over 60%.
In its first full sales year, the company sold 98,900 units of its urban SUV, which is the third leading model in the range. The Arona successfully joined the Ibiza, Leon and Ateca as one of the brand’s four major pillars. With its revamping just around the corner, the SEAT Leon is still the brand’s best-selling model (158,300, -6.8%) and it achieved one of the best historic results.
Deliveries of the Ibiza reached 136,100 vehicles (-10.7%) while the Ateca is SEAT’s fourth most widely sold model with 78,200 units delivered 2018 (-0.6%). Furthermore, in 2018 the new CUPRA brand made its successful debut and posted a growth of 40.0%, with sales of 14,300 units, 4,100 more than in 2017.
SEAT’s historic sales record was driven by double digit growth in the five major European markets. Germany is leading SEAT sales with 114,200 vehicles sold (+11.8%) and broke its record for the second consecutive year. SEAT’s growth performance in Spain remains solid, where deliveries went up by 13.2% to stand at 107,800 units, boosting the company to a market leadership position. In addition, the Leon and the Ibiza were the two most widely sold vehicles in Spain.
Growth was even more positive in France (31,800; +31.3%) and the country ranks as one of the markets with the highest growth percentage. In Italy, where the Spanish brand is keeping on a growth path, sales improved by 10.9% compared to 2017 to reach a total volume of 20,000 vehicles in 2018.
SEAT also obtained its best ever sales result in Austria, where sales went up by 5.3% to stand at 18,400 vehicles, moving up to rank fifth in the number of registrations, Switzerland (10,700 cars; +3.3%), Israel (9,000; +2.2%) and Morocco (2,100; +5.2%). In Europe, SEAT sales were also strong in markets such as Portugal (9,600 vehicles; +16.7%), Belgium (9,500; +24.4%) and the Netherlands (8,900; +16.3%). Algeria posted the most prominent growth of the year, where SEAT sold 18,500 vehicles (2017: 5,100). In 2018, SEAT began assembling the Leon, Arona and Ateca at the Relizane plant in Algeria, joining the Ibiza which has been assembled in Algeria since mid 2017.
