France April 2023: Dacia breaks share record, Renault Austral in Top 10

The entire Dacia range fits within the Top 12 models this month.

5/05 update: Now with Top 300 models.

The French new car market bounces back again in April at +21.9% year-on-year to 132,509 units. April 2022 was down a drastic -22.6% so we’re still not back to the April 2021 level. Year-to-date, sales are up 16.7% to 553,396. Petrol sales soar 31.3% to 53,475 for the month and 19.2% to 215,441 year-to-date, diesel is off -19% to 13,888 in April and -21.1% to 61,028 YTD. HEV are up 28.7% to 30,940 units this month, and up 24.8% YTD to 124,619, that includes 74,914 full hybrids (+33.7%) and 49,705 mild hybrids (+13.5%). PHEV registrations only edge up 6% to 10,878 but perform much better year-to-date at +19.7% to 47,390 units. Finally BEVs surge 34.8% to 17,113 in April and are up an even more impressive 45.9% year-to-date to 81,997 units and 14.8% share.

First Top 10 finish for the Renault Austral at home.

Renault (+50.7%) posts a stunning year-on-year uptick, albeit on a particularly drab year-ago volume (it only held 13.7% share). It is Renault’s first win this year and it’s a decisive one at 17% of the market vs. 14.2% for an underperforming Peugeot (+6.1%). The gap between the two carmakers is significant enough to see Renault come within a whisker (451 sales) of Peugeot in the year-to-date charts. Dacia (+63.4%) is even more impressive in third place and breaks its all-time share record at 10.5%. It is the third time the low-cost manufacturer manages to cross the 10% share milestone, all in the past 12 months after last June (10.1%) and last December (10.3%). Citroen (+10.6%) continues to disappoint in 4th place and only 7.8% share, followed by a strong Volkswagen (+35.9%) and a weak Toyota (+3.7%). A strong indication that the market is pulled up by the Renault group this month is the fact that no other Top 17 brand manages to outpace the overall growth. Tesla (+1780.4%!), Alfa Romeo (+98.6%), Cupra (+76.9%) and Land Rover (+66.5%) shine below.

The Renault Clio signs its first monthly win in 18 months.

Model-wise, the Renault Clio (+203.5%) compensates for a nightmarish April 2022 when it ranked #9 overall, and manages its first monthly win in 18 months: since November 2021. It sells almost 1,000 units more than its archenemy the Peugeot 208 (+12.4%) but the latter easily keeps the YTD lead with over 4,000 units more. The Dacia Sandero (+68.6%) returns to the third place it also holds YTD, followed by the Peugeot 2008 (+52.1%) and Renault Captur (+28.7%) both in fantastic shape. The Dacia Duster (+36.8%) is up to #8 and Citroen C3 Aircross (+75.5%) lodges its first Top 10 finish since March 2022. The Renault Austral breaks into the Top 10 for the first time at #9 whereas its competitor the Peugeot 3008 (-21%) endures a particularly painful month at #15 vs. #8 so far this year. The Dacia Spring at #11 (+55.1%) and Jogger at a record #12 also reached in June 2022 (+137.3%) mean the brand’s entire range fits within the Top 12.

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

One year ago: France April 2022: Market down -22.6%, Peugeot 308 III cracks podium, Ford Puma in Top 10

Full April 2023 Top 51 All brands and Top 300 models below.