Baltic, Car market, Good for Business, Transport

Lithuanian market was the only that showed two-digit growth and it kept its second position in the region (+18.3% to 4’865 units). Latvian market grew slightly faster than Estonian, but it was the smallest by volume (+3.5% to 3’928 units). Meanwhile registrations in Estonian market rose by 3.0% and it safely defended the leading position in the region (6’381 units). 

New light-vehicle registrations in the Baltic States increased 8.6% to 45’676 units in the first 9 months of 2015. All three countries reached positive results and trend remained similar to the III quarter: Lithuanian market was the fastest-growing one and 2nd by volume (+16.4% to 14’552 units), Latvian market was second by growth and the smallest by volume (+8.3% to 11’996 units) and Estonian market still is obvious leader by volume, but growth here was modest (+3.5% to 19’128 units). Estonia continues to hold its position as the largest market in the Baltic States, accounting for 41.9% of the total, while Lithuania and Latvia respectively had 31.9% and 26.3% shares.

When calculated per 1’000 inhabitants, Lithuania continues to be in the worst position: its result is just 5.02, while Latvian one is 6.07 and Estonia is clear leader here with 14.57. 

There were 39’259 passenger cars (+8.0%) and 6’417 light commercial vehicles (+12.6%) registered in the Baltic States in the first 9 months of 2015. The best performing makes (brands) were Volkswagen (5’516 units), Toyota (5’348 units), Skoda (4’352 units), Nissan (3’582 units) and Fiat (3’216 units). The most popular models were Fiat 500 (2’170 units), Nissan Qashqai (2’159 units), Skoda Octavia (1’956 units), Volkswagen Passat (1’376 units) and Toyota Avensis (1’024 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, which may follow-up, and these are the subjects of another dedicated research.