France April 2024: Market up 10.9%, Toyota breaks monthly volume record

Toyota holds 8.4% of the French market in April.

23/05 update: Now with Top 56 All brands and Top 326 All models rankings.

New car sales in France return to positive territory in April at +10.9% year-on-year to 146,977 units. This is the best April result since the pandemic but still a ghastly -21.9% on the 188,199 sales of pre-pandemic April 2019. The year-to-date volume is now up 6.9% to 591,880. Petrol sales are down -11.6% to 47,255, diesel is off -18.4% to 11,330 and PHEVs edge down -0.1% to 10,866. In contrast HEVs surge 48.1% to 45,805 and BEVs soar 45.9% to 24,968. Finally LPG registrations gain 11.4% to 6,556.

Brand-wise, Renault (+12.1%) repeats at #1 with 17.2% share, dismissing rival Peugeot (+6.6%) at 13.6% of the market. This way, Renault takes the lead in the year-to-date standings, with an almost 2,000-unit advantage. Dacia (-8.6%) is in difficulty year-on-year but keep in mind April 2023 marked a share record for the low-cost brand. In 4th place, Toyota (+82.2%) skyrockets to 8.4% share, its second best ever below the 8.5% it reached last January. The Japanese brand breaks its monthly volume record, passing the 12,000-unit mark for the first time. Toyota overtakes Citroen (-14%) in the year-to-date order to snap the 4th place overall. Volkswagen (+14.1%) outpaces the market at #5. Other great gainers include BMW (+47.2%), Suzuki (+43.3%), Skoda (+32.9%) and Opel (+28.2%). 

Over in the models lane, the Peugeot 208 (+24.9%) scores a very solid month to remain in pole position with 5.6% share vs. 6.2% so far this year. The Renault Clio (+7.3%) stays at #2 ahead of the Dacia Sandero (+21.3%) in great shape also. The Peugeot 2008 (+18.1%) overtakes the Citroen C3 (+10%) to #4 overall while the Renault Captur (-1%) and Peugeot 308 III (+8.6%) camp on their March positions at #6 and #7 respectively. Toyota places the Yaris (+62.9%) at #8 and the Yaris Cross (+36.5%) at #9. The Renault Twingo (+131.5%) continues to align fantastic results at #12. Although in negative year-on-year, the Renault Arkana (-3.5%) rallies back up 24 spots on last month to #13 and the Dacia Jogger (-10.4%) is up eight to #14. The Jeep Avenger breaks into the French Top 50 for the first time at #41.

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

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

Full April 2024 Top 56 All brands and Top 326 All models below.