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France March 2025: Renault Symbioz cracks Top 10, Tesla off -36.8%

First Top 10 finish for the Renault Symbioz at home.

It’s a mediocre month for the French new car market in March at -14.5% year-on-year to just 153,842 units. The Q1 2025 volume is therefore off -7.8% to 410,085. This drop is partly due to pulled forward sales in February in anticipation of the reduction of “bonus” incentives and the increase of “malus” penalties linked to CO2 emissions. Yet the YTD fall shows a particularly depressed market. Petrol sales implode -44.2% to 32,867, diesel is off -47.9% to 6,463 and PHEVs skid -49.1% to 8,289 but HEVs soar 41.6% to 70,676. Meanwhile BEVs are down -14.7% to 29,261 and 19% share vs. 19.1% a year ago. Over Q1, petrol is down -34.1% to 97,951 and 23.9% share, diesel is off -45.6% to 18,126 and 4.4% share, HEVs are up 47.5% to 184,267 and 44.9% share, PHEVs fall -49.2% to 19,592 and 4.8% share and BEVs are down -7.1% to 74,519 and 18.2% share.

In the brands ranking, Renault (-0.7%) manages to stabilise and sports a superb 19.1% share, the carmaker’s highest since June 2022. Peugeot (-6.7%) establishes itself at 15.4% share while Dacia (-3.7%) is at 8.6% in third place. Citroen (-20.1%) can’t stop its freefall and is down to just 7% share, its lowest so far this year. Volkswagen (-3.5%) falls slower than the market unlike Toyota (-16%) and BMW (-36.6%) below. Skoda (+6.1%) is the only manufacturer in the Top 14 that sees year-on-year growth, and climbs to a record 8th place, also reached last October and November. BYD (+219.9%), Alpine (+111.3%), Alfa Romeo (+98.2%), MG (+81.65) and Cupra (+43.2%) also stand out below. Tesla is off -36.8% for the month and -41.1% year-to-date.

Over in the models charts, the Renault Clio (-6.2%) dominates at 6.2% share vs. 5.7% over Q1, followed by the Peugeot 208 (-18.4%) and Dacia Sandero (-26.1%) both falling even faster than the market. The Peugeot 2008 (+2.3%) holds off its archenemy the Renault Captur (-15%) and ranks #4. Leader in January, the Citroen C3 IV falls to #6 and now ranks #3 year-to-date while the Dacia Duster III stays put at #7. The breakout performance of the month is delivered by the Renault Symbioz, up five ranks on last month to break into the Top 10 for the first time at #8. Below, the Peugeot 3008 III (+446.7%) maintains itself inside the Top 10 while the new Renault 5 manages a fifth consecutive month among the country’s ten most popular cars at #10. The Dacia Bigster lands directly at #34.

Previous month: France February 2025: Renault (+20.4%) reclaims control in stable market

One year ago: France March 2024: Market slightly down, Peugeot e-208 outsells Tesla Model Y over Q1

Full March 2025 Top 57 All brands and Top 50 models below.

France March 2025 – brands:

PosBrandMar-25%/24Feb2025%/24PosFY24
1Renault   29,40119.1%– 0.7%171,57317.5%+ 10.6%11
2Peugeot  23,69615.4%– 6.7%265,35915.9%– 3.9%22
3Dacia  13,2868.6%– 3.7%336,0768.8%– 8.6%33
4Citroen  10,8057.0%– 20.1%431,6157.7%– 10.4%46
5Volkswagen10,1536.6%– 3.5%527,7996.8%+ 12.5%65
6Toyota9,7286.3%– 16.0%629,8667.3%– 6.8%54
7BMW  4,8673.2%– 36.6%714,4763.5%– 15.8%77
8Skoda  4,7103.1%+ 6.1%911,1512.7%+ 24.3%811
9Audi  4,3202.8%– 4.6%1011,0512.7%+ 3.3%99
10Mercedes  3,6122.3%– 48.4%147,3491.8%– 41.8%148
11Ford  3,3922.2%– 31.2%119,4582.3%– 20.3%1113
12Opel  3,2972.1%– 35.3%178,2672.0%– 36.9%1215
13Hyundai3,2272.1%– 23.4%810,2752.5%– 3.5%1010
14Tesla3,1572.1%– 36.8%156,6931.6%– 41.1%1614
15MG2,8271.8%+ 81.6%186,3151.5%+ 31.3%1718
16Kia  2,5551.7%– 33.4%137,6691.9%– 35.2%1312
17Nissan  2,4861.6%– 10.7%127,1771.8%– 3.1%1517
18Fiat  2,1181.4%– 54.6%215,4421.3%– 54.8%2016
19Suzuki2,0821.4%– 8.5%205,5921.4%– 6.4%1819
20Cupra2,0261.3%+ 43.2%194,9271.2%+ 42.2%2124
21Mini1,9191.2%– 21.8%165,5411.4%– 1.5%1922
22Seat  1,4310.9%– 45.5%223,8520.9%– 24.9%2220
23DS1,4010.9%– 31.2%233,6520.9%– 37.7%2323
24Volvo1,2080.8%– 59.4%262,3880.6%– 59.9%2521
25Jeep1,0220.7%+ 14.1%242,6920.7%+ 15.3%2425
26Mazda9210.6%– 8.7%252,1360.5%+ 8.5%2627
27Alfa Romeo7890.5%+ 98.2%272,0880.5%+ 74.3%2731
28BYD6590.4%+ 219.9%291,6270.4%+ 63.4%2930
29Alpine5220.3%+ 111.3%281,4520.4%+ 182.5%3034
30Honda4900.3%– 21.6%311,2560.3%– 5.9%3132
31Lexus4370.3%– 14.1%301,6360.4%+ 11.5%2828
32Leapmotor2940.2%+ 539.1%336860.2%+ 351.3%3341
33Porsche2680.2%– 50.0%328760.2%– 47.1%3229
34Xpeng1990.1%new345060.1%new3439
35Mitsubishi1390.1%– 55.0%373100.1%– 63.4%3533
36Lancia1160.1%+ 213.5%362770.1%+ 648.6%3645
37Abarth940.1%– 56.5%352190.1%– 50.8%3836
38Smart740.0%– 49.3%382660.1%– 60.9%3735
39Ferrari200.0%– 13.0%39900.0%+ 60.7%4040
40Aiways140.0%– 56.3%47250.0%– 54.5%4444
41Jaguar110.0%– 71.1%52130.0%– 88.3%4938
42Land Rover100.0%– 98.5%44220.0%– 98.8%4726
43Lotus90.0%+ 0.0%45240.0%+ 0.0%4642
44Lynk & Co80.0%– 83.7%46280.0%– 87.6%4137
45Cadillac70.0%n/a491430.0%n/a3947
46Lamborghini70.0%– 36.4%42270.0%+ 50.0%4346
47Minimoke60.0%– 57.1% –60.0%– 62.5%5255
48Maserati50.0%+ 25.0%43240.0%+ 84.6%4548
49Aston Martin30.0%– 25.0%40270.0%+ 285.7%4251
50VinFast30.0%– 40.0%5450.0%– 58.3%5349
51DFSK/Seres30.0%– 62.5% –30.0%– 86.4%5658
52Bentley20.0%+ 100.0%4890.0%+ 350.0%5054
53McLaren20.0%n/a5190.0%+ 200.0%5157
54Caterham10.0%– 96.2%41210.0%– 51.2%4843
55Skyworth10.0%new –20.0%new5866
56FAW Hongqi10.0%n/a –10.0%n/a6263
57Dallara10.0%n/a –10.0%n/a63 –

France March 2025 – models:

PosModelMar-25%/24Feb2025%/24PosFY24
1Renault Clio9,5196.2%– 6.2%123,5375.7%+ 2.5%11
2Peugeot 2088,3385.4%– 18.4%321,1705.2%– 26.0%22
3Dacia Sandero6,2634.1%– 26.1%417,5904.3%– 17.0%43
4Peugeot 20085,9803.9%+ 2.3%515,9523.9%+ 22.3%54
5Renault Captur4,7253.1%– 15.0%811,2082.7%– 3.9%75
6Citroen C3 IV incl. e-C34,6343.0%new218,3754.5%new321
7Dacia Duster III3,7432.4%+ 5486.6%711,1032.7%+ 16471.6%813
8Renault Symbioz3,5722.3%new137,9261.9%new1268
9Peugeot 3008 III3,5322.3%+ 446.7%612,0822.9%+ 1414.0%614
10Renault 53,3402.2%new99,1872.2%new1051
11Peugeot 3083,3402.2%– 14.7%118,8622.2%– 22.7%117
12Toyota Yaris Cross3,1482.0%+ 28.9%109,8862.4%+ 22.0%99
13Toyota Yaris2,7301.8%+ 0.9%127,8181.9%– 11.6%138
14Citroen C42,6891.7%+ 12.5%205,6261.4%– 4.2%1523
15Tesla Model Y2,3181.5%– 23.9%174,6961.1%– 27.8%1810
16Renault Austral2,2471.5%– 28.1%165,2481.3%– 27.7%1611
17Renault Scenic V2,2251.4%new354,3961.1%new2054
18VW Polo2,2061.4%+ 77.3%146,2551.5%+ 65.9%1412
19Citroen C5 Aircross1,6811.1%+ 8.0%254,0721.0%– 7.7%2232
20Dacia Jogger1,6411.1%– 22.9%194,1361.0%– 41.4%2115
21Opel Corsa1,6241.1%– 42.6%215,1601.3%– 21.4%1716
22Peugeot 5008 III1,5491.0%new154,5651.1%new1999
23Skoda Fabia1,4330.9%+ 28.5%472,8140.7%+ 49.2%4049
24Toyota C-HR II1,4200.9%new273,9251.0%new2328
25VW T-Roc1,4180.9%– 20.3%183,8130.9%– 1.2%2624
26VW T-Cross1,3900.9%– 38.3%323,1780.8%– 22.6%3235
27Suzuki Swift1,3530.9%+ 51.3%313,6800.9%+ 21.9%2843
28Mini Hatch IV1,3440.9%new293,2390.8%new3072
29MG ZS1,2900.8%+ 932.0%333,1530.8%+ 870.2%3398
30VW Tiguan III1,2570.8%new223,9151.0%new2438
31Ford Puma1,2390.8%– 45.8%233,9051.0%– 30.2%2518
32Nissan Qashqai1,1810.8%– 22.8%243,2640.8%– 4.6%2934
33Ford Kuga1,1330.7%– 1.4%462,8210.7%+ 1.1%3841
34Dacia Bigster1,1210.7%new –1,1210.3%new82 –
35BMW Série 11,1180.7%– 7.5%263,7530.9%+ 44.1%2747
36Renault Rafale1,0640.7%+ 3029.4%422,2650.6%+ 5424.4%4582
37Hyundai Kona1,0460.7%+ 12.0%303,2300.8%+ 24.7%3137
38Hyundai Tucson1,0450.7%– 30.8%363,0100.7%– 19.8%3526
39Opel Mokka1,0000.7%+ 20.9%821,8140.4%– 18.6%5565
40Renault Megane E-Tech9900.6%– 54.5%602,2500.5%– 53.6%4625
41Audi A19870.6%+ 44.3%432,4760.6%+ 79.4%4261
42BMW X19470.6%– 44.8%342,8190.7%– 32.5%3931
43Toyota Aygo X9420.6%– 40.5%382,9940.7%– 17.4%3633
44VW Golf9270.6%– 40.5%283,0380.7%– 22.4%3429
45Mercedes Classe A8990.6%– 26.4%761,5410.4%– 25.3%6470
46VW ID.38790.6%+ 161.6%402,0990.5%+ 176.9%4871
47Toyota Corolla8620.6%– 43.8%392,9520.7%– 18.8%3736
48Nissan Juke8600.6%– 4.0%372,4120.6%– 16.7%4346
49Fiat 6008480.6%+ 22.9%442,6340.6%+ 59.2%4157
50Skoda Kamiq8290.5%– 12.8%611,8470.5%+ 9.5%5464

Source: AAA Data, PFA

This Post Has 14 Comments
  1. @T: I’d never buy a car from a shithead like Musk. And if I did before I knew the CEO is a shithead, I’d sell my ride asap.

    1. Ok, let say you drive a car somebody doesn’t like and he or she vandalizes it, just because this person doesn’t like the brand. Hiw will you react finding your car destroyed?

  2. If people are afraid to buy a Tesla for fear of others damaging it, that’s the end of democracy.
    We don’t destroy other people’s property coming from regimes where political rivals are arrested. It’s stupid to condemn Tesla for the choice of American voters.

    1. Nobody should vandalise my car, I’m free to vote, free to buy, free to travel abroad… it doesn’t matter if it’s a Tesla (made in Germany, where it creates jobs) or an MG (made in China, which is destroying jobs in Europe). What if Italians start vandalising Renaults? Or Germans vandalise Fiats? Are we crazy??

  3. Bryan’s statement: “It is absurd that Tesla is being politically persecuted, Europe is so hypocritical … except for the UK”.

    “https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/29/protesters-picket-london-tesla-showroom-anti-musk-demonstrations”

    Good night from London.

    1. A few protesters do not represent the millions of British consumers who have demonstrated that they know how to distinguish politics from engineering, unlike continental europeans.

  4. It seems as though Renault is beginning to dominate the sales charts again with its new influx of models. However it also seems as though the sales of the scenic and 5 are cannibalising the Meganes sales !

  5. Spoiler alert: I saw what’s the best selling vehicle in China in March and Democrats will be pissed off! 😀

      1. Unlike german brands, Tesla does not offer discounts in brand new models. Do you also support vandalism against Teslas? It is completely absurd that Tesla is being politically persecuted, Europe is so hypocritical except for the UK.

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