France January 2014: Peugeot 208 #1 for 1st time since last May, Top 13 100% French!

Peugeot 208

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

After starting the month on a very negative note (-18% at the halfway mark), the French new car market recovers in the last week to post a 0.5% year-on-year increase to 125,477 registrations. For the first time since last May, the Peugeot 208 is the best-selling model at home in France thanks to 7,038 sales and 5.6%, catching up on an exceptionally weak month of December that saw it dive to #3. The Renault Clio IV, leader over the Full Year 2013, is kicked down to #2 at 6,579 units and 5.2% while the Citroen C3 lodges another very strong month with 5,120 sales and 4.1%, its highest market share at home since March 2011 when it reached an all-time high 4.9%.

The Citroen C3 hits its highest market share in 3 years.

For its part the Dacia Sandero manages to rank inside the Top 4 for the 4th time in the last 9 months at #4 with 4,868 units and an excellent 3.9% market share, the highest for this generation so far. It passes the Renault Captur down to #5 with 4,469 sales and 3.6%, the small SUV’s 8th consecutive month inside the French Top 5 – no interruption since last June! Its archenemy the Peugeot 2008 remains 7th and improves its market share vs. December to 2.8% thanks to 3,453 sales. The Citroen C4 Picasso II is above the Renault Scenic for the 2nd time in the last 4 months at 3,189 sales and 2.5% while the Renault Megane reintegrates the Top 10 at #10, above the Peugeot 308 II at #12.

The Toyota Auris beats it ranking record this month in France at #26.

It’s an exceptional month for nationals in France: in January the entire Top 13 best-sellers are French, with the first foreign model being the VW Golf VII at #14 with 2.2% share. Now I have looked through my archives through and through and I cannot find a month when this situation happened in the last 10 years, the closest I could fine was April 2006 when the #1 foreigner was the Ford Fiesta at #13… That gives you an idea of how exceptional this month is (this is by counting Dacia as French). Other great performers in January include the Fiat 500 up to #19 vs. #28 over the Full Year 2013, the Toyota Auris breaking its monthly ranking record anew at #26 with just under 1% share and the Audi A3 up a further 5 spots on December to #28.

The Mokka is the best-selling Opel in France for the first time this month.

Further down, notice the Opel Mokka up to a record-breaking 33rd position and the brand’s best-seller in the country for the first time, the Chevrolet Spark up 38 ranks to #42, the Dacia Logan MCV II making its first appearance in the ranking at #47, the Renault Koleos up 37 to #50, Nissan Micra up 47 to #51, Kia Rio up 18 to #52, Citroen C4 Aircross up 33 to #54 and the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross breaking into the Top 100 for the first time at #81.

Previous post: France 1-22 January 2014: Dacia Sandero up to #2

Full Year 2013 report: France Full Year 2013: Renault Clio IV marks 15 years of Clio #1

Previous month: France December 2013: Citroen C3 above Peugeot 208 for the first time

One year ago: France January 2013: Mercedes A Class and Opel Mokka impress

Full January 2014 Top 100 models Ranking Table below.