Europe October 2017: Golf, 208 and 3008 shine in market up 5.6%

The Peugeot 3008 is up to a record #14 in Europe. Picture perrys.co.uk 

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New car sales in Europe (27 markets excluding Russia and Turkey) are up 5.6% year-on-year in October to 1.202.877 registrations, the highest score for the month since 2009 (1.26m). This brings the year-to-date volume up 3.6% to 13.184.592 deliveries after ten months, the highest score at this stage of the year since 2007 (13.62m). The split data by fuel type is rather interesting this month: wiht 619.300 sales, standard petrol vehicles account for 51.5% of the total market vs. 46.4% a year ago while diesel vehicles continue to freefall at 498.500 sales, down 9.9% to a 41.4% share vs. 48.5% in October 2016, its lowest October share in the past ten years. In contrast, alternatively fuelled vehicles are up to 5.5% share thanks to 66.000 sales. Segment-wise, SUVs are up 21.3% to 373.978 sales and 31.1% share while all other main segments are down: small cars are down 0.5% to 239.105, compact cars down 0.4% to 230.166 and medium cars down 3.7% to 96.732.

The VW Golf surges 24% year-on-year, its largest increase in almost four years. 

Unsurprisingly, Volkswagen remains the most popular carmaker in the region but trails the market slightly at +3% to 133.881 sales. The next best-seller on the other hand all gain share: Renault (+15.8%), Ford (+7.1%), Peugeot (+16.7%) and Mercedes (+8.8%) all advance faster than the market. Note Peugeot reclaims the #4 YTD spot off Mercedes this month. Skoda (+10.6%) and Toyota (+21.2%) are the other two double-digit gainers in the Top 10. Further down, notice Jeep (+20.8%), Seat (+21.1%), Dacia (+21.3%), Alfa Romeo (+22.8%), Suzuki (+31.5%), Lamborghini (+55.6%), Aston Martin (+58.9%), Tesla (+99.4%), Lada (+155.2%) and McLaren (+304.8%) all positing spectacular gains. At the other end of the scale, Opel (-2%), Fiat (-4.2%), Nissan (-5.3%) and BMW (-8.9%) are the only brands in negative in the Top 23, with Lancia (-18.4%), DS (-19.6%), Rolls Royce (-23.5%), MG (-24.5%) and Jaguar (-30%) the hardest hit.

The Peugeot 208 hasn’t ranked this high in Europe since May 2013. Picture largus.fr 

Over in the models ranking, the VW Golf confirms its return in shape, posting a second consecutive double-digit gain and the largest since January 2014 at +24%. Yet its YTD tally remains in negative for now at -3.5%. The Renault Clio is back to the 2nd place it holds year-to-date, up a solid 7.4% this month and distancing the Peugeot 208 up a fantastic 14.8% to sign its first European podium since May 2013. This is only the fifth time the 208 features in the Top 3 after August 2012, October 2012, May 2013 (#3) and December 2012 (#2). The Ford Fiesta (-10.4%) slowly returns to its traditional level now that the new generation is establishing itself, back up 9 spots on September to #4 while the VW Tiguan reclaims the SUV crown off the Nissan Qashqai at #5 vs. #7. Meanwhile the Toyota Yaris (+14.9%) equals its European ranking record at #8 (also hit last July), posting a fourth consecutive month inside the Top 10. The Citroen C3 breaks into the Top 10 for the second time this year after April. It’s the C3’s sixth incursion in the European Top 10, the first one being in June 2010.

The Toyota Yaris ranks at a highest-ever 8th place. 

Outside the Top 10, the Fiat Panda (+10%) and Ford Focus (+21.9%) improve significantly whereas the VW Passat is down 1.5%. The Peugeot 3008, more than doubling its sales year-on-year thanks to the new generation, signs a new ranking record at #14, beating the #17 it hit last July. Other great performing nameplates in the European Top 50 this month include the Dacia Sandero up 22.9%, the Mercedes E-Class up 27.8%, BMW 5 Series up 46.7%, Mercedes GLC up 50.9%, Ford Kuga up 52.9%, Opel Insignia up 65.2% and Renault Scenic up 164.4%. Reversely the Opel Corsa (-18.1%), Audi A3 (-22.6%), BMW 3 Series (-31.4%) and Opel Astra (-32.6%) all struggle. As it has been the case for eight of the past nine months, the Toyota C-HR is the only recent nameplate launch (<12 months) to manage a Top 50 ranking this month, the only other one being the Audi Q2 last August.

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Previous month: Europe September 2017: Nissan Qashqai up to record #2 in market down 2.2%

One year ago: Europe October 2016: Opel Astra and VW Tiguan shine in market down

Full October 2017 Top 50 brands and models below.