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Europe 2009: VW Golf and Ford Fiesta dominate

January 25th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

VW Golf

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

This year European car sales were dominated by an unassailable duo: the VW Golf, boosted by the launch of its 6th generation, and the Ford Fiesta, also completely revamped in late 2008. These two models monopolised the top 2 spots all throughout the year.

The VW Golf is the best selling car in Europe for the 22nd year out of the last 27, with sales above the 500,000 mark for the first time since 2004. It lodges its best figure in 7 years at 571,441 sales, up a massive 24% on 2008. The Golf was #1 every single month this year except in March, and peaked at 59,629 units in June.

Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta relaunch is a total success: the model ranks #2 in Europe for only the second time ever (after 1991) in the 33 year-long life of the nameplate. Its sales figure is up 44% year-on-year at 472,229 units, and it was the first car in 2 years to pass the 50,000 monthly sales mark when it clocked in 52,805 units in March, topping the market and interrupting 11 consecutive months of Golf leadership.

Below these two powerhouses, the Peugeot 207 rounds up the podium with sales down 10% at 367,549 units, above the Opel Corsa (-2%) and a Fiat Punto reinvigorated by scrappage schemes (+ 3 spots and 16%). The Fiat Panda delivers its best ever European year in 8th place with 298,936 sales (+34%) and peaked at #5 in February, its best-ever position in Europe, 7 years after the launch of the current model.

The Peugeot 308 makes what would end up being its only two appearances in the European Top 10 in June and July and finishes 2008 at #12, a far cry from the 307′s career. The Skoda Fabia makes August its favorite month when it reaches a best-ever #8, it ranks at a best-ever #13 at year-end. Thanks to the new generation, the Renault Megane reappears in the Top 10 in September for the first time since June 2006 and finishes the year at #11, up 14 spots and 41% on 2008.

Other great performers this year include the Fiat 500 up 5 spots to #17, the Nissan Qashqai continuing its impressive progression up 10 ranks to #19, the Renault Twingo up 9 to #23, the Opel Insignia up to #28, Dacia Sandero up to #31, Hyundai i10 up to #36, Ford Ka up to #39, VW Golf Plus up 12 to #40 and VW Tiguan up 7 to #41.

Previous year: Europe 2008: VW Golf defies the GFC

Next year: Europe 2010: VW Golf leader ahead of Fiesta and Polo

Full Year 2009 Top 100, every Monthly Top 10 Ranking Tables and every model sales below.

You can check out every Monthly Top 10 here: Europe 2009 Monthly.

You can check out the sales of every model sold in Europe in 2009 here: Europe 2009 All models

Europe Full Year 2009 Top 100 (Source Interautonews):

Pos Model 2009 /08 2008 Pos
1 VW Golf 571,441 24% 461,620 1
2 Ford Fiesta 472,229 44% 327,851 6
3 Peugeot 207 367,549 -10% 406,740 2
4 Opel Corsa 351,873 -2% 360,781 4
5 Fiat Punto 323,962 16% 279,134 8
6 Renault Clio 313,126 -7% 335,951 5
7 Ford Focus 310,033 -15% 364,316 3
8 Fiat Panda 298,936 34% 223,447 15
9 VW Polo 283,131 3% 276,098 9
10 Opel Astra 275,935 -14% 321,012 7
11 Renault Megane 231,123 41% 163,550 25
12 Peugeot 308 220,810 -5% 231,804 13
13 Skoda Fabia 216,960 8% 201,101 17
14 Toyota Yaris 209,384 -6% 223,673 14
15 BMW 3 Series 201,254 -20% 251,334 11
16 Audi A4 194,925 -24% 256,349 10
17 Fiat 500 186,901 5% 177,680 22
18 Audi A3 186,327 -2% 190,114 18
19 Nissan Qashqai 182,402 26% 144,879 29
20 VW Passat 180,883 -23% 236,193 12
21 Skoda Octavia 178,224 0% 178,539 21
22 Seat Ibiza 177,932 11% 160,338 27
23 Renault Twingo 174,426 35% 129,619 32
24 BMW 1 Series 173,123 -8% 187,691 19
25 Citroen C3 172,161 -2% 176,545 23
26 Mercedes C Class 148,176 -28% 206,381 16
27 Renault Scenic 147,967 -12% 168,178 24
28 Opel Insignia 137,711 new 4,584 n/a
29 Mini 136,006 -5% 143,773 30
30 Citroen C4 Picasso 134,971 -27% 184,896 20
31 Dacia Sandero 127,919 393% 25,947 n/a
32 Citroen C1 118,291 13% 104,475 39
33 Peugeot 107 117,679 20% 98,236 46
34 Ford Mondeo 114,659 -30% 163,262 26
35 VW Touran 110,259 -15% 129,300 33
36 Hyundai i10 109,421 106% 53,197 n/a
37 Mercedes A Class 109,399 -13% 125,671 34
38 Peugeot 206 109,225 79% 61,183 69
39 Ford Ka 107,962 127% 47,646 n/a
40 VW Golf Plus 105,689 18% 89,459 52
41 VW Tiguan 105,299 14% 92,638 48
42 Toyota Aygo 103,083 2% 101,303 42
43 Mercedes E Class 101,569 31% 77,661 56
44 Kia Cee’d 97,919 -2% 100,071 44
45 Opel Zafira 95,952 -35% 147,687 28
46 Smart Fortwo 95,269 -8% 103,855 40
47 Toyota Auris 93,344 -30% 132,605 31
48 Hyundai i30 93,016 63% 57,096 73
49 Citroen C4 92,955 -21% 118,216 35
50 Mercedes B Class 84,808 -16% 101,072 43
51 Citroen C5 83,103 17% 71,187 60
52 Nissan Micra 82,274 4% 78,827 55
53 Honda Civic 80,372 -28% 111,206 36
54 Suzuki Swift 79,216 -20% 98,715 45
55 Toyota Avensis 79,057 7% 74,068 58
56 Chevrolet Matiz 78,193 19% 65,562 64
57 BMW 5 Series 76,464 -27% 104,617 38
58 Citroen C3 Picasso 75,428 new 279 n/a
59 Mazda2 74,543 3% 72,638 59
60 Ford C-Max 74,479 -31% 108,099 37
61 Opel Meriva 73,559 -18% 89,588 51
62 Audi A6 73,357 -28% 102,378 41
63 Honda Jazz 73,250 24% 59,216 71
64 Renault Modus 71,126 -7% 76,884 57
65 Dacia Logan 69,873 -14% 80,813 54
66 Seat Leon 69,222 -23% 90,162 50
67 Fiat Bravo 68,231 -27% 93,371 47
68 Audi Q5 67,691 new 6,030 n/a
69 VW Caddy 64,138 43% 44,852 n/a
70 Ford Kuga 64,079 139% 26,761 n/a
71 Alfa Romeo MiTo 61,967 367% 13,282 n/a
72 Chevrolet Kalos 61,618 29% 47,947 n/a
73 Hyundai i20 58,413 new 785 n/a
74 Ford Fusion 56,329 -17% 67,860 62
75 Kia Picanto 56,237 42% 39,483 n/a
76 Lancia Ypsilon 55,443 -10% 61,570 67
77 Opel Agila 52,144 19% 43,730 n/a
78 Audi A5 51,967 27% 40,825 n/a
79 Renault Laguna 51,208 -43% 90,291 49
80 Mazda3 51,197 4% 49,355 n/a
81 Nissan Note 51,031 -14% 59,339 70
82 Volvo V70/XC70 50,914 -24% 67,357 63
83 Volvo V50 48,869 -14% 56,872 74
84 Peugeot 3008 48,291 new 153 n/a
85 Mazda6 46,353 -29% 65,208 65
86 Mitsubishi Colt 45,706 -13% 52,396 n/a
87 VW Scirocco 44,559 401% 8,898 n/a
88 Toyota iQ 44,254 new 40 n/a
89 Toyota RAV4 44,075 -29% 62,501 66
90 Suzuki Alto 43,413 new 0 n/a
91 Ford S-Max 43,125 -22% 55,097 77
92 Citroen C2 42,913 -20% 53,774 80
93 Peugeot Partner 42,857 23% 34,810 n/a
94 Renault Kangoo 42,588 -21% 53,832 79
95 Toyota Prius 41,938 3% 40,885 n/a
96 Skoda Roomster 41,337 -5% 43,595 n/a
97 Citroen Xsara Picasso 41,117 -33% 61,546 68
98 Honda CR-V 40,901 -26% 55,107 76
99 Volvo XC60 39,850 582% 5,842 n/a
100 Seat Altea 39,718 -27% 54,131 78

Europe Full Year 2009 Top 10 (Source JATO):

Pos Model 2009 09/08 2008 Pos
1 VW Golf 571,075 24% 461,539 1
2 Ford Fiesta 472,158 44% 327,828 6
3 Peugeot 207 367,474 -10% 406,718 2
4 Opel Corsa 351,858 -2% 360,761 4
5 Fiat Punto 324,125 16% 279,115 8
6 Renault Clio 313,102 -7% 335,920 5
7 Ford Focus 309,134 -15% 364,226 3
8 Fiat Panda 298,914 34% 223,441 13
9 VW Polo 283,069 3% 276,077 9
10 Opel Astra 275,906 -14% 320,878 7
Categories: Europe