Skoda is celebrating 20 years in Ireland during which time it has become a household name.
Debuting in 1993 with a two-car range, the Czech car maker sold just 76 vehicles through a network of only four dealers. Twenty years on, the brand has deliverted more than 60,600 vehicles over the period, is represented by 22 established dealers, and the range of vehicles offered by Skoda has grown to 10 model variants.
Renowned for the quality, affordability and reliability of its vehicles, the period since 2008 has been Skoda’s most significant growth period as Irish motorists rediscovered the value of the Skoda range. During this time, Skoda Ireland’s market share doubled from three per cent in 2008 to 6.9 per cent year to date, placing the carmaker sixth on the sales leaderboard.
John Donegan, brand director for Skoda Ireland, says: “We are extremely proud of what has been achieved over the past 20 years. The last five years have been among the most challenging the car industry has seen, but our products have proven they are fitting for the current environment where customers are attuning to value more than ever before.
“This is only the beginning for Skoda. We have doubled our market share in just five years and the next five years will see the introduction of even more models to the range, including two new SUVs by 2018. Looking to the future, I don’t see why Skoda cannot become a top three car brand in Ireland.”
