France Full Year 2024: Renault Clio snaps last minute win

The Clio nameplate signs a 22nd annual victory at home.

Consult 130 years worth of French Historical Data here.

Now updated with Top 70 All brands, Top 421 All brands, Top 20 LCV brands and Top 100 LCV models.

French new car sales edge down -3.2% year-on-year in 2024 to 1,718,416 units. This is 22.4% lower than the pre-pandemic 2,214,279 registrations of 2019. Petrol is down -20.9% to 507,757 and 29.5% share vs. 36.2% in 2023, diesel sinks -27.2% to 124,952 and 7.3% share vs. 9.7%, hybrids surge 36.2% to 588,896 and 34.3% share vs. 24.3% a year ago, that includes 334,366 full hybrids (+28.8%) and 254,530 mild hybrids (+47.4%). Meanwhile PHEVs fall -10.2% to 146,392 and 8.5% share vs. 9.2% and BEVs edge down -2.5% to 291,143 and 16.9% share vs. 16.8% last year. LPG falls -8.6% to 57,661 and 3.4% share vs. 3.6%.

Renault (-0.2%) tightens its grip on its home market with a share improving from 15.7% to 16.1%. Peugeot (-3.6%) can’t follow at 13.5%, similar to the 13.6% it held over the Full Year 2023. Dacia (-7.3%) has not yet benefitted from its new Duster and falls to 8.4% share but remains in third place. The performer of the year is Toyota, up 18.1% year-on-year and two spots on 2023 to reach a record 4th place with 7.4% share. It hit a record 9% share in October. Volkswagen (-0.7%) is stable and stays at #5 just as Citroen (-11.4%) falls two spots to a lowest ever #6 with just 6.5% share. BMW (+12.7%) and Skoda (+16.3%) excel, the latter breaking into the monthly Top 10 for the first time in August.

In the models ranking, the Renault Clio (-6.2%) snaps a last minute win as the Peugeot 208 (+3.1%) was #1 throughout the year up until end-November. This is the 22nd time that the Clio nameplate is #1 at home, a series started in 1992. The Dacia Sandero (+9.9%) cements its third place with an improved 4.4% share. The Peugeot 2008 (-1.6%) and Renault Captur (-3.4%) both take advantage of the discontinuation of the Citroen C3 III (-34.8%) to advance one spot to #4 and #5 respectively. The Peugeot 308 (-18.2%) remains in 7th position but worryingly freefalls year-on-year. The Toyota Yaris (+21.6%) surges 8 spots on 2023 to land at #8 just above its cousin the Toyota Yaris Cross (+8.8%) breaking into the annual Top 10 for the first time at #9, peaking at #5 in July. The Tesla Model Y (-23%) is down 2 spots to #10 but ranked at a record #4 in September.

We have a flurry of new launches this year especially as the split by generation is available. The Dacia Duster III lands at #13 but peaked at #4 in August and December, the Peugeot 3008 III ranks #14 with a best of #5 in October, the VW Tiguan III us #36, the Renault 5 is #50 but ranked at a spectacular #7 in November and #6 in December, the Citroen C3 IV is #51, the Renault Scenic V is #53, the MG 3 is #55 but surged to #7 in December, the Citroen e-C3 is #59, the Renault Symbioz #67 and the Renault Rafale #80.

The Light Commercial Vehicle market edges up 0.7% year-on-year to 381,851 units. Renault (+1.8%) remains ultra dominant with a round 30% share, distancing Peugeot (+5.8%) at 17.7% and Citroen (-7.5%) at 13.3%. Ford (-4.5%) ensures the Top 4 is unchanged on 2023. Mercedes (+12.4%) is the only additional Top 10 member in positive, overtaking Fiat to rank #5. Chinese fare Maxus lands at #18. Model-wise, the Renault Master III (-2.1%) is the best-seller again, but the 4th generation (#35) is coming. The Renault Trafic (+10%) stays in second place above the Renault Kangoo III (+26.3%), Peugeot Partner (+3.2%) and Expert (+20%).

Previous year: France 2023: Renault and Clio back in charge, Tesla up to #7

2 years ago: France 2022: Market falls -7.8% to lowest in 47 years, Peugeot #1, Dacia #3 above Citroen, Sandero #2 above Clio

Full December and Year 2024 Top 70 All brands, Top 420 All models, Top 20 LCV brands and Top 100 LCV models vs. Full Year 2023 figures below.