Most-Sold Passenger Vehicles by New Car Registrations
The VW Golf tops the list of best-selling cars in Germany in 2008. New passenger car registration statistics show the Audi A4 and Mercedes C Class as the next most-sold automobiles.
The Volkswagen Golf Tops the List of the Top Ten Best-Selling Cars in Germany in 2008 (Photo © Volkswagen Media Services)
In 2008, the Volkswagen Golf / Jetta was again the best-selling car in Germany. New passenger car registration statistics for the full year has the Audi A4 as the second most-sold car in Germany in 2008 followed by the Mercedes C Class. The VW Passat and BMW 3 Series round out the list of top five top selling passenger vehicles in Germany in 2008.
- The German automobile market contracted in 2008 by 1.8% to 3,090,040 new car registrations compared to 3,148,163 cars sold in 2007.
List of Top Ten Best-Selling Cars in Germany in 2008
In 2008, the following cars were the most sold passenger vehicles in Germany according to the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA):
| Position | Car Make & Model | Cars Sold in 2008 | % Change vs 2007 |
| 1 | VW Golf / Jetta | 231,293 | +7.9 |
| 2 | Audi A4 | 98,714 | +17.4 |
| 3 | Mercedes C Class | 98,145 | +25.4 |
| 4 | VW Passat | 94,523 | -10.2 |
| 5 | BMW 3 Series | 87,302 | -13.2 |
| 6 | Opel Astra | 76,069 | -8.4 |
| 7 | BMW 1 Series | 75,621 | +37.2 |
| 8 | VW Polo | 71,952 | -6.2 |
| 9 | Opel Corsa | 67,614 | -14.5 |
| 10 | Ford Focus | 66,244 | 15.1 |
Germany’s Favorite Cars in 2008
The VW Golf has been Germany’s favorite car since 1981. It was last outsold by the Mercedes W123 in 1980. The new Audi A4 and Mercedes C Class continued their excellent run with large increases despite a contracting market. The relatively expensive BMW 1 Series also had a remarkable year with an increase of 37% more cars sold in 2008 in Germany compared to 2007.
Volkswagen had a relatively good year in Germany in 2008. Although overall VW sales increased only by 1.1%, the VW Group dominated several car classes. Except for super minis, where Smart For Two, and Luxury Class, where the Mercedes S Class were the top sellers, a Volkswagen or Audi topped all other categories.
Car Classes & Segment Best Sellers in Germany, 2008
- Super Minis – Smart For Two
- Small Cars – VW Polo
- Compact Cars – VW Golf
- Mid-Sized Cars – Audi A4
- Large Cars – Audi A6
- Luxury Cars – Mercedes S Class
- Sport Cars – Audi TT
- Small Vans – VW Touran
- SUVs – VW Tiguan
- Large Vans – VW T5
See Also:
- Car Sales Statistics for top-selling cars in various countries and continents
- Best Selling Cars in Germany in 2008 by Manufacturer
- Best Selling Cars in Europe in 2008 by Brand
New Passenger Car Registration for Germany in 2008 Statistics by the Kraftfaht-Bundesamt (KBA)
[...] although the more than 250,000-car lead over the second place VW Polo was astonishing. In 2008, the lead of the VW Golf over the second place Audi A4 was just over 130,000 [...]