Europe October/November 2020: Recovery cut short with -7.2% and -13.7% respective drops, Toyota Yaris and Peugeot 2008 break ranking records

The Toyota Yaris is up to a record 2nd place overall in Europe in November.

12/01 update: Now with November Top 58 brands and Top 347 All-models.

In October and according to final figures by JATO Dynamics, new car sales across Europe in 27 markets (EU+EFTA+UK) drop -7.2% to 1.127.624 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down -27% to 9.695.544. FCA (+3.2%) and the Geely Group (+3.3%) are the only Top 10 groups in positive, with Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi (-4.4%), the PSA Group (-5.2%) and Toyota Group (-6%) also outpacing the market. Model-wise, Audi (+20%), Fiat (+9%) and Renault (+1.4%) shine with gains in the Top 10 whereas BMW (-13.6%), Volkswagen (-15.6%) and Ford (-21.5%) struggle. Cupra lands at #37 just below Polestar. In the models ranking, the VW Golf (-19.9%) is in great difficulty but remains at #1, contrasting with very vigorous Top 10 results by the Opel Corsa (+59.3%), Fiat Panda (+28.5%), Peugeot 2008 (+23.1%), Renault Clio (+15.4%) and Renault Captur (+6.6%). But the event of the month is delivered by the VW ID.3 which becomes the best-selling BEV in Europe with over 10.000 units for the month, toppling the Renault Zoe. Note BEV sales outclass diesel volumes in Europe for the first time in history this month.

Top 5 European markets January-November 2020. Source UNRAE

In November, the Top 5 European markets are all in negative, with the UK at -27.4%, France at -27%, Spain at -18.7%, Italy at -8.3% and Germany resisting best at -3%. As a result, according to JATO Dynamics new car sales across Europe 27 markets (EU+EFTA+UK) are off -13.7% year-on-year to 1.045.129 units, the lowest November tally since 2014 (989.500). This leads to a year-to-date volume down -26.1% to 10.740.673: that’s a loss of 3.8 million units compared to the same period in 2019. Six market go against the grain and register year-on-year gains: Norway (+24.9%), Ireland (+20%), Cyprus (+10.9%), Greece (+2.4%), Romania (+1.2%) and Denmark (+0.3%). In addition to the Top 5 markets mentioned above, the hardest hit are Bulgaria (-45.2%), Slovenia (-33%), Portugal (-27.9%), Estonia (-25.8%) and Croatia (-23.5%), these figures according to ACEA so they may vary slightly with our updates.

Among the 10 best-selling groups according to ACEA, the Toyota Group (-1.9%), FCA (-4%), Geely Group (-5%) and the BMW Group (-8%) manage to contain their fall to the single digits which is not the case atop the charts with the Volkswagen Group (-14.1%), PSA Group (-12%) and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi (-15.5%). Brand-wise according to JATO Dynamics, Volkswagen (-18.9%) takes a hard hit in pole position while Mercedes (-7.6%) leapfrogs past Renault (-14.7%) and Peugeot (-10.7%) to land in 2nd place overall. Toyota (+0.5%) is the only Top 10 carmaker in positive, with Audi (-0.4%) just missing out and BMW (-8%), Peugeot (-10.7%) and Skoda (-10.9%) keeping their losses below the market rate.

In the models ranking, below the VW Golf (-26.8%) in deep trouble again, we have a surprise in 2nd place: the Toyota Yaris (+28.3%) boosted by the new generation and its hybrid variant which was the best-seller in the segment in October (November data is yet to come through but it’s safe to assume the Yaris is the #1 HEV again). This is the Yaris’ highest ever ranking in Europe, eclipsing its previous best of #4 set in September 2018. The Renault Clio (-15.7%), Opel Corsa (+18.9%) and Peugeot 208 (+1.3%) all drop one spot on October as a result. The Peugeot 2008 (+45.9%) also breaks its European ranking record at #6 vs. #7 last July and August, and becomes the continent’s #1 SUV for the second time ever after last August. The Ford Focus (+16.4%) signs the last gain in the remainder of the Top 10.

Previous post: Europe September 2020: First gain of the year (+1.1%) is optical illusion, VW ID.3 cracks Top 10 in 6 markets, wins 2

One year ago (October): Europe October 2019: VW Group (+31%), Renault (+15.2%) return to normal in market up 8.6%

One year ago (November): Europe November 2019: VW Group (+13.4%) pulls market up 5.4%

Full October 2020 Top 10 groups, Top 58 brands, Top 353 models, Top 10 HEVs, Top 10 PHEVs and Top 10 HEVs below.

Full November 2020 Top 10 groups, Top 58 brands and Top 347 All-models below.