France March 2023: Market up 24.2%, Tesla Model Y smashes records at #4

The Tesla Model Y is up to 4th place overall in March.

19/04 update: Now with Top 50 All brands and Top 290 All models.

New car sales in France rally back up 24.2% year-on-year in March to 182,713 units, leading to a first quarter tally up 15.2% to 420,888. In fact the market is simply back to its 2021 level (182,775 in March 2021). Petrol sales are up 24.5% to 71,501 and 39.1% share, unchanged on March 2022, Diesel drops -5.7% to 19,865 and 10.9% share vs. 14.3% a year ago, HEV soar 38.3% to 38,520 and 21.1% share vs. 18.9% in March 2022, PHEV are back up 34.4% to 15,717 and 8.6% share vs. 7.9% and BEV surge 54.5% to 30,636 and 16.8% share vs. 13.5% in March 2022 and 8.5% two years ago.

Peugeot (+35%) scores its 8th win in the past ten months, outpacing its home market as does Renault (+30.2%) in 2nd place. Citroen (+18.8%) returns to the third spot for the first time since last September after falling to #6 in both December 2021 and January 2022. Dacia (+19.4%) is knocked down to #4 above Volkswagen (+22%), the three brands not able to catch up on the market growth rate. Tesla (+79.6%) surges six spots on last month to land at #6, breaking all its records: ranking, volume (8,710) and share (4.8%) with its previous bests being  #7, 5,753 sales and 4.3% share, all in November 2022. Toyota (+5.4%) is very shy this month at 4.4% share vs. 6.6% in February and is relegated to 7th place. BMW (+77.9%) scores a fantastic month at #8 while Audi (+21.1%) is just below the overall lift and Ford (-7.5%) endures the only year-on-year drop in the Top 10. MG gains 197.6% and Cupra is at 108.5%.

The Peugeot 208 (+43.2%) cements its market lead with 6.1% share, while its archenemy the Renault Clio (+58.3%) manages to return to #2 year-to-date. The Citroen C3 (+17.8%) is a little weak but is nevertheless back to the third step of the podium for the first time since last November. The Tesla Model Y (+566.9%) roars to a record 4th place with 6,456 sales and 3.5% share. Its previous best were hit last November and are #10, 2,891 sales and 2.2% share… The Model Y is #1 with private buyers and now ranks #9 year-to-date vs. #38 over the Full Year 2022. The Peugeot 2008 (+57.9%) posts an excellent uptick at #5, distancing the Dacia Sandero (-17.2%), which is down to #3 YTD, and the Peugeot 308 (+22.3%). The Renault Captur (-10.2%), Peugeot 3008 (+6.7%) and Dacia Duster (+41.6%) complete the Top 10. Just below, the Dacia Spring (+64.9%) continues to gear up and the Renault Austral is up to a record #12.

Previous month: France February 2023: Dacia (+33.9%), Audi (+28.3%), Toyota (+27.9%) shine, Renault Astral #13, market up 9.4%

One year ago: France March 2022: Market plunges -19.5%, Dacia (+31.4%) defiant, places Sandero at #2

Full March 2023 Top 50 All brands, Top XXX All models and Q1 2023 Top 10 BEV models below.