Skoda aims for a 5% market share in Spain

Skoda maintains its strategic goal of achieving a 5% market share in Spain, although the timeline to reach this has shifted to 2027 or 2028. This was confirmed by the brand's general director in the country, Fidel Jiménez de Parga, who identified the introduction of mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV) as the key element to drive this growth. Currently, the Czech brand holds a 3.7% market penetration.

According to the executive during a media briefing to review the fiscal year, Skoda is "at the best moment in its history" in terms of range, with the capacity to cover 90% of the Spanish market.

However, he pointed out a weakness that limits the competitiveness of entry-level models: the absence of mild hybrid versions in Fabia, Kamiq, and Scala, segments where the MHEV solution is already a standard.

Jiménez de Parga detailed that the project has been under development for two years within the Volkswagen Group — driven by Spain and Italy with support from France — and that all brands in the consortium will incorporate these engines from 2027.

The brand initially set the 5% target for 2025, but the entry of the Chinese competitor in Spain forced an adjustment of the timeline to a "medium-term" vision. The executive believes that with the arrival of new engines, growth will be more solid and will allow Skoda to aspire to enter the top 10 in sales, a goal the brand nearly achieved this year.

Between January and October, Skoda achieved a 3.69% share, with 35,555 deliveries, a 21.2% increase over 2024. These volumes position it as the twelfth best-selling brand, one spot ahead of last year's close. For the entire fiscal year, Jiménez de Parga predicted that registrations will "significantly" exceed 40,000, marking the third consecutive record.

The executive emphasized that Spain is currently "the fastest-growing country in Europe" within Skoda's commercial network and has already become the seventh most important market for the company. "Previously, we only had a voice; now we are starting to have a voice and a vote, and the Czech Republic listens to us," he stated.

The business channel has become one of Skoda's growth pillars. The brand is already among the top ten in fleet sales, with a share close to 5%, which rises to 6% in leasing. This progress is supported, according to Jiménez de Parga, by the good management of residual values, which have increased by ten points in four years, and the high presence of the brand in tenders of more than 100 vehicles, where it participates in 90% of the bids.

However, the executive acknowledged the pending issue of the private channel: Skoda holds a 2.7% share among private customers — 3.1% in November — well below the 46.9% that the channel represents in the general market. The entry of Chinese brands, with a 20% weight in private customers and just 5% in fleets, has distorted the relative picture.

To improve, Skoda is working with the headquarters in the Czech Republic to make the range "more competitive" with flexible purchase offers and more accessible rates in Fabia, Kamiq, and Scala, the key models for this type of customer.

Regarding the commercial network, Skoda plans to increase its reach to about 125 points from the current 105. The growth will be supported by the 55 existing investors and collaboration with Volkswagen Group dealerships, leveraging shared facilities to optimize costs. Towns with populations between 50,000 and 60,000, such as Alzira (Valencia), are among the expansion targets.

The network's profitability will close 2025 at around 2.5%, a figure that consolidates several years above 2%, compared to the national average of 1.44% until June. Skoda expects this trend to be reinforced by the increase in the circulating fleet, the growth of new vehicles, and the boost from the Skoda Plus used car program, which will double deliveries this year.

Jiménez de Parga expressed optimism about the immediate future: "The results will come sooner rather than later." For the brand, the arrival of mild hybrid versions will be the missing piece to complete the strategy and make the leap towards the coveted 5% share in the Spanish market.