Europe 2002: VW Golf only 500 units above the Peugeot 206

VW Golf

* See the Top 95 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

2002 started swimmingly well for the Peugeot 206: #1 over the first Quarter, #1 over the first Half…but it was just not meant to be. The VW Golf keeps the European best-seller title in 2002, a position it has held 19 of the last 20 years, but only by the skin of its teeth: a mere 500 units separate the two models at year end! Never before was the European title as hotly contested. Note other sources put the gap between the two models at an equally tight 1,830 units.

Peugeot 206

The VW Golf finishes the year at 587,600 sales (-10%) and the Peugeot 206 is at 587,100 (-6%). Later sources put the two models at 596,415 and 594,585 units. The Ford Focus maintains its position on the European podium with 519,451 sales, down 4% while the Renault Clio is up 2% to 501,908 units. Outstanding first full year of sales for the Peugeot 307: it lands directly in 5th position with 442,705 units, already beating the Opel Astra at 432,108 sales, down 17%… The Fiat Punto is down 4 spots and 23% to #8.

Peugeot 307

The BMW3 Series reaches what remains its highest year-end European volume at a brilliant 350,606 sales but paradoxically drops 2 ranks to #10. Notice the Ford Fiesta up 4 spots and 15% to #11, Audi A4 up 5 to #13, the Fiat Stilo landing at #22 for its first full year of sales, the Toyota Yaris still the best-selling nippon at a best-ever #21, the Citroen C3 landing at #33 and the Mini at #38.

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Next year: Europe 2003: Peugeot 206 most popular, VW Golf down to #2

Full Year 2002 Top 95 Ranking Table and every model’s sales below.