France October 2013: Peugeot 2008 beats Renault Captur to hit #4

The Peugeot 2008 breaks into the monthly French Top 5 for the first time in October at #4.

* See the Top 80 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

Would the French new car market have bottomed out already? It is up year-on-year for the 2nd month running in October to 166,515 units (+3%), bringing the year-to-date total to 1,476,328 units, down 7% or 118,000 sales on 2012. For once the majority (2 out of 3) of French carmakers outperform the market: Peugeot is up 11% to 17.5% share and Renault up 5% to 18.5% while Citroen is down 3% to 13.9% and Franco-Romanian Dacia up 10% to 4.4%. The reason behind this unusual great shape fits in 3 letters: S.U.V! Confirming we are entering a new era in French car sales, this month both the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur rank inside the Top 5, and *shock, horror * SUV leadership has changed hands!

The Renault Captur celebrates 5 consecutive months inside the French Top 5.

When the Peugeot 2008 ranked 5th ahead of the Renault Captur 3 weeks into October, it was impossible to predict how this race would end. Well for the first time ever, the Peugeot 2008 sells more units at home than its archenemy the Renault Captur with a record 5,301 sales and 3.2% share vs. 5,175 and 3.1%, allowing it an all-time high 4th place, up 5 spots on September and its first time inside the French Top 5, or any country in the world for that matter. If the Captur is down 2 ranks on September to #5, it still delivers awesome figures and lodges its 5th month in a row within the French Top 5. The Captur is now #11 year-to-date and the 2008 #21.

The Citroen C4 Picasso II is above the Renault Scenic for the first time this month.

The good news for Peugeot and Renault is that the small SUV couple has not impacted sales of the Clio IV and 208 they are derived from. Granted, both models are slightly below their year-to-date levels in October with the Clio IV at 5.3% vs. 5.8% and the 208 at 4.8% vs. 5.2%, but they still largely dominate the French sales charts. After being handicapped by strikes, the Citroen C3 reclaims the third position it held for most of 2012 thanks to 6,351 sales and 3.8% and passes the Renault Megane to settle at #4 year-to-date. Outstanding performance of the Citroen C4 Picasso II, up to a best-ever #6 with 4,838 units and 2.9% but most importantly above the Renault Scenic for the very first time!

The Peugeot 308 II breaks into the French Top 10 for the first time in October.

But wait there’s a third model hitting its highest ever ranking atop the French sales charts in October: the second generation Peugeot 308 is up 7 ranks to break into the Top 10 for the first time at #8 with 3,760 sales and 2.3% share, already and by far the best-seller in its segment! All its rivals take a hit: the Renault Megane is down 4 spots on September to #11, the VW Golf VII down 4 to #15 and the Citroen C4 down 3 to #16! Notice also the Fiat 500 gaining one further rank to #19 and #4 foreign model, the Toyota Auris up 10 to an all-time high #30, the Kia Sportage and BMW X1 both up 10 also to #44 and #47 respectively and the Chevrolet Spark up 14 to #51.

Previous post: France September 2013 (final figures): Maserati Ghibli lands

Previous weekly post: France 1-21 October 2013: Peugeot 2008 up to 5th place

Previous month: France September 2013: Renault Captur on podium, Peugeot 2008 back in Top 10

One year ago: France October 2013: Renault Clio IV up to #4

Full October 2013 Top 80 models Ranking Table below.