Sales of new cars soared by 52% in the Balearic Islands in the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year, with 6,400 new cars sold between January and April of this year, whereas nationwide they fell by 12%.
The Association of Balearic Dealers President and CEO of Autovidal, Andrés Vidal, said the increase is down to the fact that practically zero car rentals were bought last year because of the uncertainty generated by the Covid pandemic during the tourist season.
“Market falls in the Balearic Islands are much more important than those at national level." In 2020 the market fell by 41% and only recovered 4% in 2021. It is clear that the current economic situation in the Balearic Islands is being reflected; this growth in vehicle sales is a sign that the Balearic economy is working better and customers and companies are buying cars.”
“It is a historical growth,” he adds, “because there has never been such a pronounced drop in sales in such a short time as the one that took place in 2020 and the rebound is a consequence of that."
Vidal is predicting that the increase in car sales will level out and that 2022 will close in the black to the tune of 20%.
"In the coming months, growth will moderate because the rent-a-car fleet has already been renewed," he argued.
Best selling cars
The best-selling vehicles are segment B passenger cars, such as the Ibiza, Opel Corsa, and Ford Fiesta as well as segment A, small off-road 4x4 vehicles, which represent around half of the market,” explains Vidal. “Small cars with small engines sell well because people travel short distances in the Islands. 60% are petrol cars; 9% are diesel; 7% are electric and nationwide, 24 percent are hybrids.
Prices
Vidal acknowledged that vehicles are 2-3% more expensive and blamed the price hike in raw materials and logistics.