France Full Year 2022: Sales fall -7.8% to lowest in 47 years, Peugeot #1, Dacia #3 above Citroen, Sandero #2 above Clio

The Dacia Sandero outsells the Renault Clio in 2022.

Consult almost 130 years worth of French Historical Data here.

23/01 update: Now with Top 300 models.

The French new car market slips -7.8% year-on-year in 2022 to just 1,529,035 units, hampered by a prolonged microchip crisis, a surging inflation and delivery issues. This is the weakest annual volume in 47 years: since 1975 (1.482.343), and according to AAA Data this is a new normal for French sales as the negative context won’t go away in 2023. Private sales resist slightly better than the market at -4% to 698,440 units and 45.7% share. Fleet sales (companies and long term leases) drop -6.2% to 443,279 and 29% share while short-term rental sales sink -13.3% to 133,464 units. Petrol sales skid -14.8% to 568,880 units and 37.2% share vs. 40.2% in 2021, diesel is down -31.6% to 239,111 and 15.6% share vs. 21.1% a year ago, HEV soar 14.8% to 332,663 and 21.8% share vs. 17.5% last year, that includes 188,853 full hybrids (+36%) and 143,810 mild hybrids (-3.3%). PHEV are down -10.2% to 126,549 and 8.3% share vs. 8.5%. Finally BEV are the success story of the year, up 25.3% to 203,121 and 13.3% share vs. 9.8% in 2021.

In the brands ranking, Peugeot (-14.1%) holds onto the top spot for the 2nd year in a row despite falling faster than the market and outsells Renault (-12.1%) for the for the second time since 1939. The gap between the two star manufacturers is down to 9,203 units vs. almost 17,000 in 2021. The event of the year is the third place of Dacia (+4.5%) with a record 8.6% share, eclipsing the 7.5% it hit last year. Dacia ranked #3 in May, June, November and December, reaching an all-time high 17,278 sales and 10.1% share in June. Citroen (-19.8%) has a very difficult year due mainly to logistical issues and retrogrades to 4th place overall, its lowest annual position in decades (and possibly its lowest ever). It holds just 8.5% share vs. 9.8% in 2021. In fact, Dacia snapped the annual third spot at the very last minute as Citroen was still #3 at end-November but produced a lowest ever 6th place with 6.3% share in December.

The Peugeot 208 is the best-selling vehicle at home for the third straight year.

Toyota (+4.3%) overtakes Volkswagen (-7.6%) for the first time to rank at a record 5th place and was even #3 with a record 8.2% share in October, above Citroen. The Japanese manufacturer breaks its annual market share record for the 7th consecutive year at 6.6%. Volkswagen (-7.6%) is down one rank to #6, distancing Mercedes (-5.5%) staying at #7. All three remaining Top 10 manufacturers defy the depressed context with year-on-year gains: Hyundai (+4.1%) advances two ranks on 2021 to #8 ahead of Ford (+7.6%) up three to #9 and Kia (+4.5%) up one to #10. Below, Tesla (+10.4%), Nissan (+2.9%) and Mini (+1.2%) are the only additional gainers in the Top 20. 2020 is the year Chinese manufacturers became mainstream in France. MG is up 174.2% year-on-year to #23, 12,666 sales and 0.8% share, breaking into the Top 20 in November and December and Lynk & Co is up 932.7% to #31. Alfa Romeo (+100.5%) also impresses.

Over in the models ranking, the Peugeot 208 (+0.9%) edges up to lodge a third consecutive year in pole position and ranked first 11 times this year. We have a surprise below: the Dacia Sandero (-12.8%) soars two spots to rank #2 overall for the first time despite falling faster than the market. This means the Sandero outsells the Clio (-24.9%) for the very first time and it is the first time the Clio nameplate is not in the annual French Top 2 since its launch year in 1990 when it ranked #7. Here too the Sandero snapped the top spot at the last minute by ranking #1 overall in December. Note the Sandero nameplate only ranked #1 once this year vs. 4 times in 2021. The Citroen C3 (-10%) is up one rank to #5, taking advantage of a terrible year for the Peugeot 2008 (-31.8%) down two spots to #5. The 2008 still outsells the Renault Captur (-13.3%) which stays at #6.  We have two newcomers in the Top 10: the Peugeot 308 III (+919%) up to #7 overall for its first full year in market and the Renault Arkana (+76%) up 11 ranks to #10. Meanwhile the Dacia Duster (+1.9%) remains in 9th place.

The Renault Master remains the best-selling LCV in France.

The Top 3 foreigners are just outside the Top 10: the Toyota Yaris (-3.7%) is down 3 spots to #11 ahead of the Fiat 500 (+10%) and an outstanding Toyota Yaris Cross (+363.4%). Looking at private buyers only, the Dacia Sandero remains the best-seller for the 6th year in a row, with a whopping 23,200 sales advantage over the #2, the Peugeot 208. Note 33.5% of 208 sales go to the BEV variant. The Renault Clio follows in third place above the Dacia Duster at #4. The Renault Captur outsells the Peugeot 2008 this time, with the Renault Twingo up to #7 vs. #14 in the whole market. The Toyota Yaris Cross brilliantly cracks the Top 10 at #10 for is first full year in market. The Peugeot e-208 is the best-selling BEV above the Dacia Spring and Tesla Model 3 with the Fiat 500 and Renault Megane E-Tech rounding out the Top 5. A full Top 70 ranking is available below.

New Light Commercial Vehicle sales in France are down a very harsh -19.5% year-on-year in 2022 to 348,072 units. Renault (-20.2%) roughly follows the market to hold a commanding 28.6% share with Peugeot (-22.6%) suffering a little more to 17.1% share vs. 17.8% a year ago. Citroen (-17.2%) improves its share slightly, from 15.4% to 15.8%. Ford (-7.7%) is up one percentage point from 6.8% to 7.8% and overtakes Fiat (-43%) in complete freefall – from 8.2% to 5.8% share. Toyota (-2.8%) resists best in the remainder of the Top 10 with Volkswagen (-11.2%), Iveco (-11.6%) and Mercedes (-16.7%) also beating the market. Model-wise, the Renault Master III (-6.7%) sports a second consecutive year in the top spot ahead of the Renault Trafic (-16.2%), both models outracing the market. The Peugeot Expert (-14.3%), is up two ranks on last year to #3 and the Citroen Berlingo III (-28.1%) is up three to #4 despite a drastic loss. The Renault Express (+23%) is up 7 spots to #8 and is more successful than its twin the Renault Kangoo III (+268.5%) at #12. Adding sales of the Express, Kangoo II and Kangoo II would bring the combo to #3 overall.

Previous year: France 2021: Peugeot outsells Renault for 1st time since 1939, 208 best-seller in stable market (+0.5%)

Two years ago: France 2020: Peugeot 208 II secures first win, Renault Zoe #9 in market down -25.5% to lowest volume in 45 years

Full Year 2022 Top 63 all brands, Top 320 models, Top 10 private sales, Top 70 BEVs, Top 30 LCV brands and Top 100 LCV models vs. Full Year 2021 figures below.

Full December Top 54 all brands and Top 300 models below.