Europe January 2018: 1st podium in 4 years for Peugeot, sales up 7.1%

March 1, 2018
Matt Gasnier

The 3008 ranks at a best-ever #12 in Europe, helping Peugeot up 15% to #3.

* See the Top 25 best-selling brands and models by clicking on the title *

According to data shared by JATO Dynamics, new car sales in Europe (27 markets ex-Russia and Turkey) are up 7.1% in January to 1.28 million units, the highest score for the month since 2008 and the largest year-on-year gain since last May. The market has been helped by strong results in Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. Diesel sales continue to freefall, down another 12.5% this month to just 40.6% share in 17 markets, losing 12.1% in France, 17.6% in Germany and 25.6% in the UK. Alternatively fulled vehicles soar 28.2% to 57.000 units and 5.5% share, including 34.800 hybrids, 12.300 PHEVs and 8.500 EVs. SUVs continue to gallop ahead with deliveries up 26.2% to 428.300 units and 33.5% share vs. 28.3% a year ago. Reversely, subcompacts see their share go from 21.2% to 20.4% and compacts go from 19.7% to 18.9%.

Skoda gains 22.3% with the Octavia up to 5th place.

Brand-wise, both Volkswagen (+5.1%) and Ford (+3.9%) trail the market but top the ranking, followed this month by Peugeot surging 15% to third place, itself outselling compatriot Renault (+7%) at #4. It is the first time since February 2014 that Peugeot ranks on the monthly European podium and the first time since January 2014 that the carmaker outsells Renault in Europe, replicating the situation at home in France. Opel/Vauxhall (-0.5%) is the only carmaker in negative in the Top 10, with Skoda (+22.3%), Toyota (+11.9%) and Audi (+10.9%) all handling splendidly well but Mercedes (+3.8%) remaining in the premium lead. Further down, Jeep (+69%), Seat (+20.7%), Volvo (+19.9%), Suzuki (+19.8%), Dacia (+18.3%), Mitsubishi (+16.3%), Hyundai (+14.6%), Mazda (+12.3%), Citroen (+10.5%) and Kia (+10%) all post double-digit gains in the Top 25.

The Ford Fiesta hits its best European ranking in almost a year.

Over in the models ranking, the VW Golf soars 15.3%, its fourth double-digit gain in the past five months, with the Ford Fiesta (+4%) rallying back up to 2nd place, its best ranking since March 2017 (#1) after falling to a paltry #32 in August in the midst of its generation changeover. The Renault Clio (+1.8%) is relegated to #3 with the VW Polo (-3.4%) climbing back to #4, its best since last July (#2) after dropping to #22 in October, here to due to a new generation. The Skoda Octavia posts a splendid 14.8% uplift to rank inside the Top 5 for the second time in the past 3 months and the VW Tiguan (-5.6%) reclaims the title of best-selling SUV in Europe, outselling the Nissan Qashqai (+6.2%) for the 4th consecutive time. The Toyota Yaris (+27.1%) lodges its 5th Top 10 ranking in the past 6 months, the Citroen C3 its 7th Top 10 ever – the first one being in June 2010, the Peugeot 3008 is up 41.5% to equal its record ranking at #12 (also hit last November) with the Dacia Duster up 45.2% and the Ford Kuga up 30.2%.

Previous post: Europe Full Year 2017: VW Golf celebrates 10 consecutive years at #1