What’s driving the increased Consideration for Skoda in the UK?
Like most other brands in the automotive industry, Skoda’s current strategy seems to be one of a cautious EV push, without compromising on their reliance on fuel powered and hybrid vehicles. In the EV space, Skoda’s latest move comes in the form of the All-Electric Elroq line, which the brand describes as a vehicle that “distills all the qualities of the multi-award-winning Enyaq into a more compact package”.
YouGov BrandIndex allows us to explore how the brand is performing, while YouGov Profiles allows for a reading of a brand’s potential audiences. In this piece, we take a look at Skoda’s current standing in the UK, and a profile of those considering purchasing from the brand.
Over the last five years, Skoda has maintained a strong Consideration score, growing slightly from 14.1% in November 2019 to 15.9%. This means that more than one in seven UK consumers say they would consider purchasing a Skoda vehicle when they are next in the market. By contrast, the average Consideration score for all vehicle brands stands at 9.9%, and has risen only by 0.5% over the past five years.
But what’s driving this uptick in Consideration? Perhaps the answer lies in the rise of the brand’s Quality perception. Skoda’s Quality scores, which trailed the industry average quite sharply in 2019, has caught up in 2024. During the same period the brand’s Recommend score has grown from 7.8 to 10.7, widening the gap with the sector average.
Which engine type are Skoda Considerers eyeing for their next purchase?
The data reveals that Skoda considerers are consistently more likely than potential car buyers to consider various engine types. Potential car buyers refer to those who say they will purchase a car within the next 12 months.
The most notable differences appear in plug-in hybrids, where 34% of Skoda considerers show interest compared to 16% of car purchase intenders, and in mild hybrids, with 30% versus 15%. The higher relative interest in plug-in hybrids among Skoda considerers bodes well for the brand as it already has offerings in the segment – the Superb Estate and Kodiaq are available in PHEV models.
Skoda considerers are also significantly more likely to consider full hybrids, at 41% compared to 30%. In contrast, the differences for diesel and electric vehicles are less pronounced, with Skoda considerers showing 36% and 25% interest, respectively, compared to 27% and 24% among general intenders. While petrol has the highest overall percentages (76% for Skoda considerers and 69% for the potential car buyers), the relative variance in preference is smaller.
How much are they willing to spend on their next vehicle purchase?
The data highlights differences in expected spending on a next vehicle between Skoda considerers and potential car buyers. A notably smaller proportion of Skoda considerers (13%) expect to spend more than £30,000 compared to potential car buyers (21%).
Conversely, a higher percentage of Skoda considerers (79%) anticipate spending less than £30,000, compared to 72% of potential buyers. Both groups have similar levels of uncertainty, with 8% of Skoda considerers and 7% of potential buyers selecting "Don't know." This suggests Skoda considerers are generally more cost-conscious, with fewer planning to purchase higher-priced vehicles.
Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. Skoda's Consideration score is based on the question: When you are next in the market to purchase a car or a van, from which of the following would you consider purchasing?. Figures are based on a 52-week moving average and are presented as a percentage. Learn more about BrandIndex.
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