Europe July 2019: Mercedes (+18.2%), Dacia (+18%), Skoda (+14.8%) headline highest market since 2007 (+1.2%)

The new A-Class (+50.8%) helps Mercedes up 18.2% in July.

04/09/2019 update: Now with the Top 55 brands and Top 350 models.

28/08/2019 update: Now with an exclusive Top 100 models.

New car registrations in Europe 27 markets gain 1.2% year-on-year in July to 1.325.600 units, the largest July volume since 2007 and a particularly strong score given July 2018 was boosted by artificial pre-WLTP sales across the continent. YTD sales remain in negative however at -2.5% to 9.723.400. SUVs account for 38.2% of the July total thanks to 505.900 sales (+8.7%), a slower growth than over the past few year but still the segment’s highest ever market share for the month. Electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, HEV) soar 29% to 96.600 going from 5.8% to 7.4% share, with Hybrids (+27%) up to 56.800 and BEVs (Battery EVs, +98%) up to 23.200, driven by Tesla, the Renault Zoe (+103%), Volkswagen (+64%), Hyundai (+334%) and the Audi E-Tron (1.735). According to JATO Dynamics whose data contains estimates, 14 out of the 27 markets included show growth, among them Sweden (+89.4%), Romania (+52.6%), Greece (+33.6%), Hungary (+26.8%), Latvia (+13%) and Croatia (+8.6%). Major markets show more discreet performances, with Germany (+4.6%) and Italy (+0.5%) up and France (-2%), the UK (-4.1%) and Spain (-9.8%) down.

The Dacia Sandero outsells the Renault Clio in Europe for the first time in history.

The brands ranking sees very contrasting year-on-year evolutions depending on whether the carmaker abused of pre-WLTP sales in July (Volkswagen, Renault, Audi, Nissan, Fiat…) or not (Mercedes, Peugeot…). As a result, Volkswagen (-6.6%) easily remains on top but is the only Top 5 brand to endure a year-on-year decline. It is followed this time by Ford (+7.3%), Peugeot (+5.2%) and Mercedes (+18.2%) posting an outstanding gain and scoring its highest European ranking so far in 2019 at #4. Skoda (+14.8%), Toyota (+11.4%), BMW (+9.9%) and Opel (+8.2%) also post splendid surges in the remainder of the Top 10 whereas Renault (-20.6%) crumbles down to a paltry 6th place and Audi (-12%) sinks. Just outside the Top 10, Citroen (+9.9%), Dacia (+18%), Hyundai (+8.9%) and Seat (+11.5%) gallop ahead as do Suzuki (+21.9%), Mini (+14.7%), Volvo (+12.7%) and Mazda (+10.2%) towards the tail end of the Top 20 but Nissan (-28.3%) and Fiat (-21.7%) logically pay the price of too many artificial sales a year ago. DR Motor (+493.7%), Tesla (+434.4%), Alpine (+97.3%), Rolls Royce (+47.5%), MG (+28%) and Lexus (+27.6%) shine among smaller brands.

Skoda sales jump 14.8% thanks to strong Karoq and Kodiaq sales.

Model-wise, like a year ago the podium is 100% VW despite the Golf (-17.5%) and Polo (-22.3%) all enduring scathing losses while the Tiguan (-6%) contains its fall thanks to strong Allspace sales (+31.7%). Note July 2018 and 2019 are the only two occurrences where three Volkswagens topped the European models ranking. The Dacia Sandero (+22.3%) steps up two spots on June to #4, its record European ranking also hit in November 2018 and May 2019. It’s however the first time the Sandero outsells the Renault Clio (-23.9%) in Europe, the Clio falling to its lowest ranking since September 2016 at #5 but arguably hampered by its transition onto the 5th generation. The evergreen Opel Corsa (+28.3%) and new VW T-Roc (+19.5%) also post fantastic gains for what is the T-Roc’s only 2nd incursion inside the European Top 10 after last February (#8). Below, notice the Toyota Corolla (+795.9%) breaking into the Top 20 for the first time for this generation at #16, the Ford Focus (+65.3%), Skoda Kodiaq (+58.8%), Mercedes A-Class (+50.8%), Hyundai Kona (+49.1%), Suzuki Vitara (+38.3%), Audi Q3 (+33.9%), Skoda Karoq (+27.4%), Mini (+24.3%) and Fiat Panda (+23%) all managing spectacular gains in the Top 50.

The VW T-Cross just misses out on its first European Top 25 finish.

Among recent launches, the VW T-Cross (#27) dominates and misses out on its first Top 25 finish for less than 200 units, followed at a distance by the Citroen C5 Aircross (#53), Peugeot Rifter (#93), Seat Tarraco (#108) and Skoda Scala (#114). The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling hybrid vehicle on the continent this month at 12.455 sales ahead of the Toyota C-HR (8.250), Yaris (7.165), RAV4 (6.135) and Range Rover Evoque (2.919), a newcomer in the Top 5. The Renault Zoe (3.789) wrestles back the title of best-selling BEV off the Tesla Model 3 (3.154), distancing the Nissan Leaf (2.722), VW e-Golf (2.295) and BMW i3 (2.203). Lastly the Mitsubishi Outlander (2.405) easily remains the #1 PHEV in Europe, well above the Kia Niro (1.057), BMW Series 2 Active Tourer (1.031), Mercedes E-Class (895) and Mini Countryman (874).

Previous post: Europe First Half 2019: Dacia, Mitsubishi, Tesla can’t help market down -3.1%

Previous month: Europe June 2019: Seat, Dacia, Toyota defy market diving -7.9%, Sandero and Duster in Top 7 for the first time

One year ago: Europe July 2018: Pre-WLTP stock clearing boosts Seat (+36.9%), VW (+28.3%), Audi (+14.3%), models podium 100% VW for the first time

Full July 2019 Top 55 brands and Top 350 models below.