Car sales fell 15.6% in Finland in 2020

For the Finnish car business, 2020 ended the same as it began, with a drop in sales that was almost constant throughout the year.

Only in February there was a slight rebound in sales compared to the previous year. But that rise disappeared never to return from March while the coronavirus crisis was increasingly present.

According to Statistics Finland, in January to December a total of 172,954 motor vehicles were first registered in the country. Compared to the year before, there was a decrease of 8.5%. Among them, the number of passenger cars first registered in this period was 96,415, which is 15.6% down from the year before.

Minor fall in December

Finland saw in December a general rise in the registration of motor vehicles, but not in the specific segment of passenger cars.

According to the public statistical office, 14,793 new motor vehicles (+14.1% year on year) were registered, of which 9,812 were automobiles. However, the number of new passenger cars registered (8,132) was 1% down from December 2019.

In December, the share of new electric passenger cars was 12.9% and plug-in hybrid electric cars 18.5%. A total of 2,561 new electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars were registered, which was 166% up from December 2019.

The most common passenger car makes first registered in Finland in 2020 were Toyota, Volkswagen and Skoda.