France July 2024: Dacia Sandero #1, Toyota Yaris Cross breaks all records

The Toyota Yaris Cross is up to a record 5th place in France in July.

27/08 update: Now with Top 56 All brands and Top 342 All models.

It’s a third straight month of negative year-on-year evolution for the French new car market at -2.3% to 126,037 in July. This is despite 3 more opening days this year. On a daily basis the market is off a worrying -15% year-on-year. The year-to-date tally passes the million at 1,040,923, still up a shy +2.2% over the same period in 2023. Private sales are up 3% whereas company sales sink -12%. HEVs soar 25% to account for 46% share, with MHEVs up 52% to 16% share, full HEVs up 44% to 22% share and PHEVs down -31% to 7% share. Petrol sales freefall -23% to 30% share and diesel is off -24% to 8% share. Finally BEVs edge up 1% to 14% share vs. 16% last month. SUVs are up 6% year-on-year to account for 51% of the market. Interestingly, long term leases drop to 58% of private sales vs. 64% in June.

The Dacia Sandero is the most popular vehicle in France in July.

In the brands ranking, Renault (-15%) sinks to 13.8% share its lowest since last January (12.1%), and vs. 16.1% so far this year. It however remains the favourite manufacturer of French customers, distancing Peugeot (+5.4%) at 13.4%. Dacia (+6.1%) cements its third place overall, signing its strongest market share since January (record 11.4%). Toyota (+30.3%) surges ahead to #4 and a record 8.6% share, well ahead of Volkswagen (-10%). Citroen (+4%) is relegated to 6th place and drops to #5 year-to-date, overtaken by Toyota. BMW (+20.6%) and Audi (+1.5%) are the only two additional Top 10 members in positive. Although in negative, Kia (-4.1%) scores its best month in a year at #8.

The Dacia Duster III breaks into the Top 10 for the first time.

The models charts is very eventful this month. The Dacia Sandero (+33.2%) flies off to pole position for the first time since January 2023 with a dominant 5.2% share, overtaking the Peugeot 208 (-2.7%) and Renault Clio (-36.9%) in freefall. This follows equally impressive results for the Sandero in Spain (#1) and Italy (#2). The Citroen C3 III (-6.5%) limits its fall as the 4th generation is delayed. The locally produced Toyota Yaris Cross (+52.3%) shoots up 12 spots on June to a record-breaking 5th place with 3,524 sales and 2.8% share, ranking #1 small SUV for the first time above the Renault Captur (-19.3%) and Peugeot 2008 (-2.6%). Its previous best were #7 and 2.3% in August 23 and 3,332 sales in December 2023.

The Renault Rafale is up to #58 in July.

Meanwhile the new generation Dacia Duster soars 19 ranks to break into the Top 10 for the first time at #8 and the Peugeot 3008 III does the same thing at #10. The VW Tiguan III is up 24 spots to #17, the Renault Scenic V up 26 to #37, the Fiat 600 up 25 to #39, the MG 3 up 18 to #51, the Renault Rafale up 35 to #58, the Peugeot 5008 III up 164 to #71 and the Renault Symbioz up 97 to #99. Delayed, the Citroen C3 IV falls to #135 vs. #54 in June, just as the Renault 5 advances to #216.

Previous month: France June 2024: Renault Group outsells Stellantis, Megane E-Tech #1 EV, hits record ranking

One year ago: France July 2023: Renault, Volkswagen stand out, Toyota threatens Citroen for #5

Full July 2024 Top 56 All brands and Top 342 All models below.