Fresh statistics. What is actually happening in the car market?

If we compare this year’s new car registrations to 2023 overall, the decline is smaller – only 34.7 percent. These figures clearly show that last year, in fear of the upcoming car tax, buyers rushed to purchase new vehicles in the final months of the year to avoid the soon-to-be-enforced tax. To get a more realistic picture, this year’s November should be compared directly with November 2023, when the car tax did not impact purchasing behaviour. And indeed, when compared to November 2023, the current market decline is significantly smaller.

Compared to October, the market experienced another drop. In October, 1,276 cars were sold, while in November the number was 1,202 – 74 cars fewer. In September, a total of 1,193 cars were sold, a result very close to November.

November brand rankings – who won, who lost?

November saw a very tight competition in new car sales, with the differences in the top three being minimal. Despite the close race, Škoda once again managed to secure first place. Škoda sold 172 new cars in November, reaching a 14.3 percent market share.

Second place goes to Toyota, which sold 161 cars and achieved a 13.4 percent market share. Looking at the full year 2025 so far, Toyota is currently leading with 2,304 cars sold. Škoda follows with 1,806 units, which gives Toyota nearly a 500-unit advantage. Overturning this gap in the final month will be rather difficult.

Third place belongs to Renault. It is nice to see Renault back in the top three, as it missed the podium the previous month. Renault registered 155 new cars in November and reached a 12.9 percent market share. Looking at 2025 as a whole, Renault also holds third place with 1,039 vehicles.

Top-selling models in November

Top three models in November:

1. Škoda Octavia – 79 units
2. Toyota RAV4 – 56 units
3. Toyota Corolla – 49 units

Škoda Octavia once again took the lead with 79 units sold. This model has topped the monthly rankings several times this year and remains clearly the most popular Škoda among buyers. Year-to-date, Škoda Octavia is second overall with 681 units sold.

Toyota RAV4 ranked second in November with 56 units sold. Year-to-date, RAV4 holds third position with 568 units.

A strong third place in November went to Toyota Corolla with 49 units. Toyota Corolla has been the best-selling model in five different months this year. At the moment, Corolla leads the overall 2025 rankings with 743 units.

We look forward to seeing December’s results to find out which model will become the best-selling car in Estonia in 2025. As of today, the leading three models are:

1. Toyota Corolla – 743
2. Škoda Octavia – 681
3. Toyota RAV4 – 568

News from the electric vehicle segment

The electric vehicle top three has been changing from month to month, and November confirms this trend. The most popular electric models in November were:

• Hyundai Ioniq 5
• Tesla Model Y
• BYD Sealion 7 / Lynk&Co 02 / Mazda 6E / Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric

The overall sales volume for electric vehicles has remained in similar ranges month after month. A total of 67 EVs were registered in November. The best-selling EV was Hyundai Ioniq 5 with 9 units sold. Second place went to Tesla Model Y with 5 units sold. Third place was shared by four models – BYD Sealion 7, Lynk&Co 02, Mazda 6E and Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric – each selling 3 units. These numbers show that, although the EV segment is still relatively small, competition is very tight.

What will the final month of the year bring?

We expect the market to pick up slightly in December. This year’s statistics show that no rapid change is to be expected, and the revival of the car market will take more time. Nevertheless, the past few months have shown small signs of improvement. So there is still hope.