Cars “Made in Slovakia” are successful in Africa, having the biggest market share in Algeria, leaving behind the Czech Republic and Germany, the Pravda daily reported in mid-February.
Back in 2015, as many as 134,100 passenger cars were sold in the former French colony.
“Up to 8 percent of all cars imported to Algeria in 2015 were from Slovakia,” said Branislav Žúdel of the Institute of Financial Policy, as quoted by Pravda.
The country is interested mostly in French car brands produced in Slovakia, like the Peugeot 208. This model was the top selling car in Algeria in 2012, said Tomáš Kender, analyst with the National Bank of Slovakia. Part of the production for the market may have been moved to Slovakia from France and Spain, he added.
The Algerians are also interested in SUVs produced in Žilina-based Kia Motors Slovakia. Between the years 2014-2016 the company exported more than 3,500 Kia Sportage vehicles there, said its spokesperson Jozef Bačé.
Algeria is the fourth biggest global exporter of natural gas and oil. Their huge incomes from raw materials enable some local inhabitants to also buy luxurious cars produced in Slovakia, like the Audi Q7, the Porsche Cayenne, and the Volkswagen Touareg, Pravda reported.
