A total of 47,167 new cars were sold in Croatia over the first eight months of 2018, or 21.8 percent up compared to the same period in 2017, the Promocija Plus marketing agency said in their regular car sales report.

In August alone, some 3,200 vehicles were sold, a year-on-year increase of 31.5 percent. This continues the trend of large increases in the car market throughout 2018, after a 39.1 percent jump was recorded in July.

From January to August 2018, the best-selling car brand was Volkswagen, with 7,073 vehicles sold, or a 15 percent market share. It was followed by Renault (4,655 vehicles sold, and a 9.9 percent share) and Opel (4,512 vehicles sold, and a market share of 9.6 percent).

By model, the best selling car was Skoda Octavia (2,464 units), ahead of Renault Clio (2,249), Volkswagen Polo (1,712), Volkswagen Golf (1,677) and Opel Astra (1,420).

By fuel technology, 56.3 percent of cars sold are fuelled by petrol, and around 41.5 percent by diesel. Hybrids remain to represent a minuscule share of the market, with 559 hybrid vehicles sold in the first eight months of 2018 – although even they outsold electric-powered cars 13-to-1, as merely 41 electric vehicles found a buyer in the same period.

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