France August 2024: Market off -24.3% to weakest in 10 years, Skoda, Dacia Duster break records

The Dacia Duster III is up to 4th place in August.

13/09 update: Now with Top 55 All brands and Top 321 All models.

It’s a fourth consecutive month of year-on-year declines for the French new car market in August at a drastic -24.3% to just 85,977 units. This is the lowest monthly result registered in France in 10 years, since the 83,340 sales of August 2014. This means August 2024 is also the third slowest month in the past 47 years below August 2014 and August 2013 (85,565). The year-to-date tally tilts into negative as a result at -0.5% to 1,126,901. Private sales are off -22% while company sales are hit -32%. A troubled political context as well as high prices and interest rates have impacted private sales just as companies adopt a wait and see attitude.

Skoda breaks into the French Top 10 for the first time.

Petrol sales sink -36.6% year-on-year to 27,120 units and 31.5% share vs. 37.6% in August 2023, diesel is down -42.6% to 5,861 and 6.8% share vs. 9% a year ago and hybrids as a whole are stable at +0.1% to 36,738 and 42.7% share vs. 32.3% last year. This includes 13,058 MHEVs (+21.8%), 17,518 HEVs (+6.5%) and 6,162 PHEVs (-35.3%). Finally BEVs disappoint at 13,109 sales vs. 19,658 in August 2023 (-33.3%), seeing its market share fall from 17.3% to 15.2%. Year-to-date, petrol is off -16.5% to 358,264 and 31.8% share vs. 37.9% over the same period in 2023, diesel is down -24.8% to 87,728 and 7.8% share vs. 10.3%, hybrids climb 22.6% to 448,555 and 39.8% share vs. 32.3%, including 206,191 HEVs (+31.4%), 153,341 MHEVs (+41.7%) and 89,023 PHEVs (-11.6%). BEVs advance 8.3% to 189,061 and 16.8% share vs. 15.4%.

The VW Polo hits its highest ranking since December 2012. 

In the brands ranking, Renault (-26.1%) and Peugeot (-25.4%) fall faster than the market, both returning shares below their YTD level at 14.2% vs. 15.9% for Renault and 13.8% vs. 14% for Peugeot. In third place, Dacia (-16.6%) holds 10.3% of the market, the brand’s second incursion above the 10% mark this year after hitting a record 11.4% last January. It’s Dacia’s fifth time above 10% share alongside April 2023 (10.5%), December 2022 (10.3%) and June 2022 (10.1%). Toyota (-12.5%) is strong at 7.9% share in 4th place but Volkswagen (-7.2%) is catching up at 7.3%. Citroen (-45.1%) is in absolute hell at just 5.6% share, its lowest so far this year. Audi (+6%) defies the negative market and climbs three spots in the YTD order to reach #8. Skoda (+7.3%) breaks into the French Top 10 for the very first time at #10. Below, notice Seat (+116.9%), Porsche (+53.6%), Jeep (+39.3%) and Land Rover (+23.3%).

The Alpine A290 makes its first appearance in the French charts.

Over in the models lane, the Renault Clio (-29.2%) is back in charge above its archenemy the Peugeot 208 (-35.1%), but both models are in great difficulty year-on-year. #1 last month, the Dacia Sandero (-3.4%) resists very well in third place. The hero of the month is the new Dacia Duster III up four spots on July to #4. This is simply the nameplate’s highest ever ranking, beating the #5 it reached back in November 2011 and February 2013. When adding sales of the 2nd generation, we arrive at 3.6% combined share, a record also.

The VW Polo (+76.2%) lodges a fantastic month at #5, the nameplate’s first Top 10 appearance since July 2021 (#10). It is also the Polo’s highest ranking since December 2012 (#5), and its 6th Top 5 finish alongside December 2008 (#3), December 2011 (#4), January 2012 (#4), November 2012 (#5) and December 2012 (#5). The Toyota Yaris Cross (-17.2%) drops one spot on its record-breaking July result to #6 as the new Peugeot 3008 III also falls one rank to #11. Notice also the Fiat 600 up to #30, the Renault Scenic V up to #32, the MG 3 up to #37, the Renault Symbioz up to #59 but the Renault Rafale down 12 to #70. August marks the first appearance in the French charts of the Alfa Romeo Junior (#191), Alpine A290 (#284) and Cadillac Lyriq (#296).

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

One year ago: France August 2023: Toyota Yaris Cross, MG 4 hit milestones

Full August 2024 Top 55 All brands and Top 321 All models below.