France February 2018: Peugeot scores second straight month at #1

The 3008 (+74%) helps Peugeot stay #1 at home for a second straight month. Picture largus.fr 

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 40 brands, Top 275 models and Top 10 private sales *

The French new car market accelerates its pace this year with a 4.3% gain in February to 168.897 deliveries following a 2.5% uplift in January, resulting in a year-to-date volume up 3.4% to 325.743. Diesel sales continue to freefall at -10.1% whereas petrol sales gain 17.6%. Like in January, private sales pull the market up at +7.3% to 47.9% share vs. 49.2% last month. Fleet sales do even better at +14% for a 23.4% share after a 15.7% gain last month. Tactical sales retract considerably: carmakers’ self-registrations at -36.7% and short-term rentals at -18.2% but demo sales soar 12.2% to 14.2% share.

Despite the C3 (+34%), Citroen sales are back below the symbolic 10% share mark. Picture largus.fr

For the first time this decade according to BSCB records, Peugeot manages to remain in pole position at home for two consecutive months thanks to sales surging by a very impressive 19% to 18.4% share vs. 17.9% (-1.3%) for Renault. Peugeot is rewarded for particularly high fleet sales up 45% to 10.617 vs. 9.462 for Renault while the latter suffers from tactical readjustments with demo sales (-22.2%) and short term rentals (-19.1%) hit hard while private sales are up 12.2%. In third place, Citroen is stable but falls under the symbolic 10% share milestone once again. Volkswagen (+4.9%) is back above Dacia (+8%) but the low-cost marque remains #4 year-to-date with deliveries up 11%. Fiat (+8.8%) also shines in the Top 10 while Opel (-13.7%), Ford (-5%) and Toyota (-3.3%) struggle. Further down, Jaguar (+51.6%), Jeep (+42.1%), Hyundai (+41.1%), Mitsubishi (+36.4%), Porsche (+30.2%), Alfa Romeo (+29.7%), Lexus (+25.1%), Suzuki (+24.4%), Skoda (+22.8%) and Kia (+17.6%) all impress.

The E-Pace (#135) propels Jaguar up 51.6%, the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 35.

The Renault Clio (-1%), Peugeot 208 (+11%), 3008 (+74%) and Citroen C3 (+34%) replicate the Top 4 ranking of both January and the Full Year 2017. The Renault Captur (+2%) rounds up the Top 5 above its archenemy the Peugeot 2008 (-2%) while the Sandero (-0.2%) and Duster (+31%) make it two Dacias in the French Top 10 for the third straight month. The Renault Twingo leaps up 16% to return inside its home Top 10 for the first time since last September. Although down 15%, the Peugeot 308 still frankly outsells its direct competitor the Renault Megane (-13%). The Renault Scenic is up 40% to #12 ahead of the Toyota Yaris (-1%), #1 foreigner for the 2nd straight month.

The Peugeot 3008/5008 tandem is the unofficial best-selling vehicle in France in February. 

The Citroen C3 Aircross drops 4 spots on last month to #14 with the VW Polo (-4%) and Golf (+19%) in tow. Up 10-fold on February 2017, the Peugeot 5008 now ranks #16 year-to-date. For the third time in the past 4 months, cumulated sales of the Peugeot 3008/5008 tandem place it at #1 at home, this month with 9,553 units and 5.7% share. Further down the ranking, the Ford Ecosport is up 113% year-on-year and 41 spots on January to break into the French Top 50 for the first time, landing directly at #30! The Nissan Micra is up 135%, the VW T-Roc is up 18 ranks on last month to a new all-time best #40, its first time inside the French Top 50 – a milestone it still hasn’t reached in Germany. Among other recent launches, notice the Opel Crossland X at #40, the Kia Stonic at #65, Opel Grandland X at #71 and Hyundai Kona at #74. We welcome the BMW X2 directly at #133.

The Ford Ecosport scores its first Top 50, Top 40 and Top 30 in France in February. 

Looking into specific channels, the Dacia Sandero (+5.2%) is back to #1 private sale, containing the Peugeot 208 (+25.6%) and Renault Clio (+29.2%), but the 208 remains #1 YTD for just 10 units. Just below the Peugeot 2008 (+1%), the Dacia Duster leaps up 29% to 5th place, distancing the Renault Captur (+26%) and Citroen C3 (-3%) while the Peugeot 3008 (+34%), Renault Twingo (+31%) and Toyota Yaris (+23%) are very healthy. The Peugeot 3008 is a faraway leader with company sales at +41% to 8.7% share while the 208, 308 and 5008 (3.7% share) are also in the Top 5. The Citroen C3 ranks third at 6.7% share while the VW Tiguan is the best-selling foreigner. For lease sales, the Peugeot 3008 is less than 300 units below the leader, the Renault Clio, holding 9.6% share. The Megane, Scenic and Captur also rank high as do the Peugeot 5008 and the Nissan Qashqai, #1 foreigner. It’s also the Qashqai that tops the demo sales channel this month (+53%) ahead of the Peugeot 208, Citroen C3, VW Golf (+80%), Citroen C3 Aircross and C4 Cactus.

Previous month: France January 2018: Peugeot up 10.5% to highest share this decade

One year ago: France February 2017: Citroen C3 and Toyota C-HR impress

Full February 2018 Top 40 brands, Top 275 models and Top 10 private sales below.