Baltic, Car market, Good for Business, Transport

Lithuanian market remained the fastest-growing one and kept second position in the region (+17.7% to 5’347 units). Latvian market also grew fast, but it was the smallest by volume (+13.0% to 4’322 units). Meanwhile Estonian market retained the first place in the region (6’806 units) but its growth was very modest (+0.7%). 

New light-vehicle registrations in the Baltic States increased 9.1% to 30’502 units in the first half 2015. All three countries posted positive results and trend was similar to the II quarter: largest increase was in Lithuanian market (+15.5% to 9’687 units), Latvian market was second by growth and the last by market volume (+10.9% to 8’068 units) and Estonian market remained leader by volume, but it was the only that showed singledigit growth (+3.8% to 12’747 units). Estonia continues to hold its position as the largest market in the Baltic States, accounting for 41.8% of the total, while Lithuania and Latvia respectively had 31.8% and 26.5% shares. When calculated per 1’000 inhabitants, Lithuania still remains in the worst position: its result is just 3.34, while Latvian one is 4.08 and Estonia is clear leader here with 9.71. 

There were 26’191 passenger cars (+8.4%) and 4’311 light commercial vehicles (+13.9%) registered in the Baltic States in the first half 2015. The best performing makes (brands) were Volkswagen (3’693 units), Toyota (3’526 units), Skoda (3’097 units), Nissan (2’269 units) and Fiat (2’051 units). The most popular models were Skoda Octavia (1’419 units), Nissan Qashqai (1’348 units), Fiat 500 (1’237 units), Volkswagen Passat (885 units) and Toyota RAV4 (680 units). 

The research is based on the common European-wide methodology, which considers a vehicle as being new only when its first-overall and first-in-country registration dates are the same. It counts so-called brutto volume paying no regard to any kind of short-term registrations and de-registrations, and these are the subjects of another dedicated research.