Sales of new passenger vehicles on the Serbian market last year fell by almost a quarter compared to 2019. A similar trend is in the countries of the European Union, and the biggest minus is recorded by some of our neighbors.
A relevant parameter for assessing the situation on the market is the sale of new vehicles, but it is interesting that consumers in our country have not given up on buying “used cars”. There are almost no changes, even 907 more used cars were sold last year.
The number of new passenger vehicles registered for the first time in Serbia, based on the analysis of PKS, shows that the sales of these four-wheelers fell by 23.5 percent. Last year, there were 26,155 such cars, and in 2019, 34,202. According to the data of the Republic Bureau of Statistics (SORS), the import of new cars to our country decreased by 34.3 percent. Last year, 15,182 vehicles entered the Serbian market, and in 2019, 7,910 more, or 23,092 cars.
Zarko Malinovic, from PKS, explains that the significant drop in sales of new vehicles is a consequence of the circumstances caused by the pandemic, which hit the car industry hard.
– There is fear among consumers due to financial uncertainty, and the mobility of people has been reduced, ie the possibility of traveling, and that is why it is harder for them to decide to buy a new car – Malinovic points out. – The cancellation of the Belgrade Motor Show also had a negative impact, because this event contributes to increasing sales.
He adds that the global car industry is facing challenges and is trying to find an answer to that.
There are almost no changes on the “used” market in Serbia
There are almost no changes in the “used” market in Serbia, even more has been traded. Thus, in 2019, 154,961 used vehicles were registered for the first time, and 155,868 last year. The situation is similar with the import of used cars. According to the SBS, 119,927 used cars were imported to Serbia in 2019, and 115,551 last year, or only 3.7 percent less. If we look at the categories of used and new vehicles together, then 143,019 vehicles entered our market in 2019, and 130,733 last year. This shows that their total imports fell by 8.6 percent.
The value of imported new passenger vehicles in Serbia was 34.4 percent lower last year compared to the year before. The cars that entered our market in 2019 were worth 326.5 million euros, and last year 214.3 million euros. If we look at the categories of used and new vehicles together, their value was lower by 23.5 percent last year compared to 2019.
Although the share of hybrid and electric circuits in the number of imported to Serbia is very low, it is interesting that it increased more than three times for “second-hand” cars last year compared to 2019. Last year, 634 used hybrid and electric cars entered our market, and in 2019, only 198 such vehicles. On the other hand, the import of new cars from that category last year was almost twice lower. Then, 251 new hybrid and electric vehicles entered the Serbian market, and in 2019, 442.
The most sought after
“DIESELS” from 1,500 to 2,500 cubic meters were mostly imported to Serbia of all categories of vehicles during the previous two years. Of the 15,182 new cars that entered our market last year, 5,717 are from that group. The total number of imported “used cars” last year was 115,551, of which 63,755 were from this category. New diesel vehicles with a capacity of 1,500 to 2,500 arrive on the Serbian market mostly from the Czech Republic, and used from Germany.
Croatia most affected
Registration of new passenger cars in the EU was lower by 23.7 percent last year compared to 2019, the European Association of Car Manufacturers announced. This is a statistical average, but the differences between EU members are large. Croatia recorded the highest drop in sales of 42.8 percent, the lowest Denmark 12.2, while in Germany it was 19.1 percent. The most new cars in 2020 were sold in Germany, 2.9 million, followed by 1.6 in France and 1.3 million in Italy, BiF reports.
