France May 2014: Peugeot 308 on podium for 1st time in 5 years

The 2nd generation Peugeot 308 already ranks as high as the 1st gen ever did!

* See the Top 80 best-selling models and Top 15 brands by clicking on the title! *

New car sales in France are up by the tiniest of margins in May at +0.1% year-on-year to 148,573 registrations. This brings the year-to-date total to 762,141 units, up 3% on 2013. The Renault Clio IV (5.6% share) and Peugeot 208 (4.6%) remain the two most popular vehicles in the country this month but the event is below: after hitting a best-ever 6th spot in April, the 2nd generation Peugeot 308 jumps a further 3 ranks to land on the podium for the first time at #3 with 5,676 sales and 3.8%. The last time the 308 nameplate managed to rank that high was in June 2009. In fact, the first generation 308 never ranked higher with a best of #3 reached 7 times (June to October 2008, January and June 2009).

The Peugeot 2008 is frankly above the Renault Captur this month.

Peugeot has a tremendous month: it passes Renault to become the #1 manufacturer at home and places 3 models inside the Top 5 with the 2008 delivering a third month in a row among the 5 most popular models in the country at #5 with 5,220 sales and 3.5%, taking an impressive advantage over its archenemy the Renault Captur down to #9 and 2.4% share. The 2008 is now only 209 units below the Captur year-to-date at #5 and 23,955 sales vs. #4 and 24,164. Both the Renault Scénic and Citroen C4 Picasso progress at #6 and #7 respectively, and the Scénic overtakes the C4 Picasso year-to-date at #7 and #8 while the VW Golf VII is up 5 spots on April to rank #8 and passes the VW Polo to become the best-selling foreign model year-to-date.

Record ranking for the Opel Mokka in France this month.

Helped by its facelift, the Peugeot 3008 is back inside the Top 10 for the first time since last August at #10, and although the Dacia Duster (#11) and Sandero (#12) disappear from the Top 10 in May, they are now both inside it year-to-date (#10 and #9 respectively), making it two Dacias inside the year-to-date Top 10 for the first time ever in France. Further down, the Opel Mokka smashes its ranking record (#33 in January and March), up 10 spots on last month to #24 with 1,446 sales, the Mercedes C-Class is up to #44 vs. #73 year-to-date and the VW Coccinelle (French for Beetle) is up 9 to #56 vs. #81 year-to-date.

Soon to be discontinued in France, Lancia sales are nevertheless up 137% so far in 2014.

In the brands ranking, for the third time in the last 12 months after May and July 2013, Peugeot is above Renault at 26,736 sales and 18% vs. 26,034 and 17.5%, leaving Citroen way behind in third place at 20,256 units and 13.6%. Below Volkswagen stable at 8% market share, Ford is up 7% to pass Dacia, up ‘only’ 11% to 5.1% share but still #5 year-to-date with 6.2% share thanks to sales up 27%. Notice also Opel up 9%, Skoda up 20%, Jeep up 133% and Lancia up 137%. Reversely Toyota is down 12%, Nissan down 14%, Fiat down 15%, BMW down 18%, Mini down 27%, Alfa Romeo down 35%, Hyundai down 50% and Chevrolet down 87%.

Previous post: France 1-22 May 2014: Peugeot 308 up 88% to climb on podium

Previous month: France April 2014: Citroen C3 past Captur, Peugeot 308 up to #6

Previous month (full data): France April 2013: Now with Top 300 models ranking!

One year ago: France May 2013: Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008 intrigue

Full May 2014 Top 80 models and Top 15 brands Ranking Tables below.