Austria's car market leads with Skoda Octavia sales and soaring electric leasing

A recent Statistik Austria survey shows the Skoda Octavia as the top‑selling new car in the country, posting a 16.3% increase over the previous year. The model’s popularity is driven by its low fuel consumption—about 5.2 L/100 km on a 1,000 km test drive to Venice—and a blend of mild‑hybrid efficiency, spacious interior and practical tech features.

In Vorarlberg, roughly 11,000 vehicles were newly registered in the first half of 2026. More than half of buyers chose leasing rather than outright purchase, a trend especially pronounced for electric cars, which now make up one‑fifth of all new registrations and have risen 44% year‑on‑year. Dealers cite lower residual‑value risk as a key reason for the leasing surge.