We’re champing at the bit to find out how well the recently launched Mercedes-Benz X-Class will sell in South Africa, even though we’ll struggle to obtain reliable figures since the Stuttgart-based automaker doesn’t report individual model sales to Naamsa. The next best thing (for now, at least)? Taking a closer look at exactly how the X-Class has been received in terms of sales in Europe.
Thanks to the folks over at Jato Dynamics, we can do just that now that the automotive business intelligence firm has released pick-up sales figures for Europe for the first quarter of 2018.
Total bakkie registrations in the region increased by 8,4% to about 59 200 units during the first four months of the year, with the X-Class managing around 2 600 registrations, or some 4,6% of the segment. Still, the X-Class outsold the Renault Alaskan (852 units) with which it shares its Navara-based platform, as well as the Fiat Fullback (about 1 900 units).
Unsurprisingly, the X-Class posted its highest market share in Germany, where it made up 13% of the segment, but it also fared relatively well in Croatia (11%) and Denmark (9,3%). In France (1,6%) and the United Kingdom (2%), however, it struggled somewhat.
For the record, the Ford Ranger topped the sales charts in Europe in the first quarter of 2018, with the Toyota Hilux in second and the Nissan Navara in third. Next came the Mitsubishi L200/Triton, then the Volkswagen Amarok and the Isuzu D-Max/KB.
Check out Jato’s handy infographic below for a closer look at how each model fared in the European market in Q1 of 2018…
