France March 2024: Market slightly down, Peugeot e-208 outsells Tesla Model Y over Q1

The EV variant accounts for 35% of Peugeot 208 sales over Q1 2024.

11/04 update: Now with the Top 57 All brands and Top 325 All models.

The French new car market edges down -1.5% year-on-year in March to 180,024 sales, however there was 21 opening days this year vs. 23 last year so the daily average is actually up 7.9% to 8,573. The year-to-date tally is up 5.7% to 444,903 units. Petrol sales sink -17.7% to 58,865 32.7% share vs. 39.1% in March 2023, diesel implodes -31.9% to 13,532 and 7.4% share vs. 10.9% a year ago, HEVs surge 29.6% to 49,908 and 27.7% share vs. 21.1%, PHEVs progress 3.6% to 16,291 and 9% share vs. 8.6% and BEVs advance 11.9% to 34,282 and 19% share vs. 16.8% a year ago. Over Q1, petrol drops -8.2% to 148,693 and 33.4% share vs. 38.5% over Q1 2023, diesel falls -29.2% to 33,376 and 7.5% share vs. 11.2%, HEVs climb 33.4% to 124,938 and 28.1% share vs. 22.3%, PHEVs grow 5.6% to 38,574 and 8.7% share, unchanged, and BEVs soar 23.6% to 80,171 and 18% share vs. 15.4% over the same period in 2023. 

Short term rentals surge 45% year-on-year in March and are up 49.2% over Q1, a sign that the French market is unhealthy. Meanwhile long term leases are down -5.8% and company sales off -18.5%. Private sales are down -2.1% to 45.6% share.

Renault (+8.9%) takes the lead of the brands ranking for the first time this year with 16.4% share, distancing Peugeot (-12.6%) in difficulty at 14.1%. Peugeot however remains #1 year-to-date with 15.3% share vs. 14.6% for Renault. Dacia (-9.1%) is back above Citroen (-17.7%) while Toyota (+44.8%) sports a fantastic gain to stay ahead of Volkswagen (-14.5%) both for the month and over Q1 (+28.2%). BMW (+8.4%) also defies the negative market and remains at #7. Mercedes (+59.4%) is up four spots on February to #8 and is the most dynamic brand in the Top 15. Opel (+16.3%) also shines at #9 and ranks #8 year-to-date vs. #14 over the Full Year 2023. As it has been the case in other major markets so far this month, Tesla (-42.6%) can’t equal record-breaking year-ago performances and ranks #10. Skoda (+45.5%), Volvo (+128%), Seat (+30.8%) and Suzuki (+28.8%) also impress below. Note the return of Lancia with 37 sales of its new Ypsilon.

Over in the models lane, the Peugeot 208 (-8.9%) manages to keep the Renault Clio (+12.7%) at bay for just 76 sales and cements its YTD lead with a 5,651-unit advantage over the Clio. The Dacia Sandero (+56.1%) returns to #3, dislodging the Citreon C3 (-15.5%). The Peugeot 2008 (+2.9%) dominates the Renault Captur (+34.2%) while the Peugeot 308 (-21.8%) stumbles down. The Renault Twingo (+88.4%) rallies back up 11 spots on February to #9, its first Top 10 finish since June 2022. The Fiat 500 (-4%) brilliantly repeats inside the Top 10 at #8 while the Renault Austral (-8.4%) is back into it for the first time since last May. The Tesla Model Y is down -52.8% year-on-year at #11 and down -30.5% over Q1. Great performers below include the Opel Corsa (+29.8%), Toyota Yaris (+58.1%), VW T-Cross (+71.1%), Mercedes GLA (+73.8%) and Toyota Aygo X (+132.5%).

We also have access to a Top 100 BEVs over Q1 2024, and it shows the Peugeot e-208 outselling the Tesla Model Y quite significantly, whereas it wasn’t the case a year ago. The Fiat 500e takes the third spot above the Renault Megane E-Tech and the Tesla Model 3. Notice also the MG4 at #7, the BMW iX1 at #10, the Volvo EX30 at #11 and the Fiat 600 at #13. Reversely, poor performances are registered by the VW ID.3 (#24), Toyota bZ4X (#34) and VW ID.4 (#40).

Previous month: France February 2024: Stellantis (+21%) shines in market up 13%

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

Full March 2024 Top 57 All brands, Top 325 All models and Q1 2024 Top 100 BEV models below.