Skoda bets on affordable compact SUVs to double India sales in 2026
NEW DELHI : Skoda Auto is looking to double its sales in India by 2026 with the launch of its affordably priced compact SUV next year. As part of its broader plan for the country, the Czech automaker hopes to ship out as many as 100,000 cars in 2026, more than twice the number of vehicles it sold in 2023, a top company official said on Tuesday.
India's compact SUV market is highly concentrated, with six large brands accounting for 90% of cars sold in the country. This has made it difficult for European, American and Japanese brands to garner scale in the country.
Despite the challenges, India is among Skoda Auto's top five global markets and the third-largest passenger vehicle market in the world, making it a key contributor to the carmaker's global growth, according to CEO Kalus Zellmer. Skoda sold 48,755 passenger vehicles in 2023, down from more than 53,000 vehicles sold in 2022 due to supply chain issues.
“Europe is important as a core market but our strategic focus is on growing a new international foundation so that we can stand on two strong legs and India is a key contributor to our global growth and the most promising growth market for the years to come," Zellmer said in a virtual address to unveil the brand's growth roadmap in India. "Strengthening our India operations also strengthens our wider internationalization potential." "We've just fixed our future investment strategy in terms of product enhancements for the existing range and also adding new products on both ICE (internal combustion engine) and battery electric options.
We have a solid plan to grow the Skoda brand in India and are targeting a market share of around 5% by 2030", he added. Skoda Auto accounted for 1.19% of India's over 4-million unit
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