France January 2025: Citroen C3 triumphs

The Citroen C3 IV is the best-selling vehicle at home in January.

18/02 update: Now with Top 300 All models ranking

Slow start of 2025 for the French new car market at -6.2% year-on-year to 114,672 sales. Petrol sales are off a daunting -28.2% to 29,974 units and 26.1% share vs. 34.1% a year ago while diesel is off -48.5% to 4,956 and 4.3% share vs. 7.9% in January 2024. HEVs surge 52.2% to 51,447 and 44.9% share vs. 27.7%. This includes 27,100 full hybrids (+28.7%) and 24,347 mild hybrids (+91%). In contrast PHEV sales sink -54% to just 4,852 and 4.2% share vs. 8.6%. BEVs are stable at -0.5% to 19,923 units, resulting in an improved 17.4% share vs. 16.4% a year ago. Finally LPG skids -43.7% to 3,520 and 3.1% share vs. 5.1%.

As is usually the case in January, Peugeot (-5.5%) reclaims the brands top spot, this time with 16.8% share, well above the 13.5% the company secured over the Full Year 2024. This is the first time Peugeot is #1 at home since February 2024. Renault (+19.4%) vastly improves on a mediocre year-ago result and finishes the month at 15.5% share, not far from the 16.1% it held over FY2024. Toyota (+1.6%) is up to a record #3, a ranking it also held in October 2022 and October 2024, and breaks its market share record to 9.2%, eclipsing the 9% it reached last October. Dacia (-28.4%) freefalls on an all time high year-ago result when it reached 11.4% share, but still captures a higher market share than over FY2024 at 8.7%. Citroen (-6.7%) matches the market to #5 while Volkswagen (+30.1%), although shining year-on-year, ranks at a lowly #6. Audi (+18.5%), Hyundai (+12.2%) and BMW (+0.1%) are also in positive in the remainder of the Top 10. Just below, Skoda soars 61.5% to #11. Tesla is down -63.4%

We have a momentous event in the models ranking: the new Citroen C3 IV snaps the pole position for the first time. This is only the second time the Citroen C3 nameplate is the best-selling vehicle in France, the first one being in October 2019. However, then the Peugeot 208 and Renault Clio were in the middle of generations change over and when counting both generation they outsold the C3. This time the C3 is #1 “in earnest”. Note we are now including e-C3 sales inside the C3 IV figure as Peugeot 208 and e-208 are also counted together for example. The Peugeot 208 (-28.5%), Renault Clio (-9.5%) and Dacia Sandero (-29%) all disappoint whereas the Peugeot 2008 (+21.7%) rallies back up five spots on last month to #5. The Peugeot 3008 III (+6400%) celebrates one year in market at an excellent #8. Other newcomers in the Top 10 are the Dacia Duster III at #8 and the Renault 5 confirming its success with a third straight month among the country’s 10 best-sellers at #9. The Toyota Yaris Cross (+36.9%) also impresses at #7. Notice also the Renault Symbioz at a record #15, only 438 sales below its little sister the Captur.

Previous post: France Full Year 2024: Renault Clio snaps last minute win

One year ago: France January 2024: Dacia smashes share record, ends month just 914 sales below Renault

Full January 2025 Top 55 All brands and Top 330 All models below.