France Full Year 2025: Weakest market in 50 years, Renault Clio #1, Renault 5 #2 in December

The Renault Clio nameplate has been #1 in France for a total of 23 years.

Consult 130 years worth of French Historical Data here.

The French new car market is in hell in 2025 with sales down -5% to just 1,632,154. Stunningly, this is even lower than pandemic-hit 2020 (1,650,188). In fact, this is the lowest annual volume in exactly 50 years: since 1975 (1.482.343). Petrol sales sink -32% to 345,233 and 21.2% share vs. 29.5% a year ago, diesel is off -36.5% to 79,397 and 4.9% share vs. 7.3% in 2024, hybrids (including mild hybrids) gain 21.4% to 714,998 and 43.8% share vs. 34.3% last year, PHEVs drop -25.8% to 108,627 and 6.7% share vs. 8.5% and BEVs soar 12.4% to 327,234 and 20% share vs. 16.9% in 2024.

The Renault 5 is a smashing success at home.

Renault (+3%) continues to increase its lead over archenemy Peugeot (-5%), lifting its share by 1.4 percentage point to 17.5% vs. just 13.5% for Peugeot, identical to 2024. In fact, this year Renault Group (+1.2%) with just 3 brands overtakes Stellantis (-7.1%) and its 10 brands for the first time. Dacia (-3.9%) manages to contain its fall below the market rate and improves its share slightly to 8.5%, still in third position. Citroen (+3.6%) is back up two spots on a lowest-ever #6 hit in 2024 to return to #4, distancing Volkswagen (-7%), Toyota (-13.7%) and BMW (-9.3%). Skoda (+13.8%) posts a splendid score and breaks into the annual French Top 10 for the first time at #8. Audi (+1.8%) and Hyundai (+0.4%) camp on their 2024 rankings and round out the Top 10. MG surges 36.4% to an estimated 14th place (#8 in December), Mini is up 34.4% to #17, Cupra up 29.3% to #19 and BYD up 160% to #24 and peaking at #16 in December. Tesla is off -37.5%.

The Citroen C3 IV was #1 in January.

Model-wise, the Renault Clio (+9.5%) significantly widens the gap with the Peugeot 208 (-17.8%) from just 2,500 sales in 2024 to 27,000 now. The Clio topped the monthly charts 10 times this year vs. just one for the 208. This is the 23rd time that the Clio nameplate is #1 at home, a series started in 1992. The Dacia Sandero (-15.2%) stays in third place despite a steep fall. The Citroen C3 IV (+217.5%) ascends to #4 and even ranked #1 outright in January. The Peugeot 2008 (+12.5%) drops one spot on 2024 to #5 despite a solid score, it is followed by the Peugeot 3008 III (+72.8%). The success of the year is the Renault 5 (+281%), frankly dominating the EV rankings and peaking at an incredible 2nd place in December – in part due to the social leasing scheme. The Renault Captur (-19.7%) struggles, cannibalised by the Renault Symbioz (+304.7%) #12 for its first full year of sales, the Dacia Duster III (+56%) breaks into the Top 10 at #9 and the Toyota Yaris (-4.6%) and Yaris Cross (-5%) are pushed down to #10 and #11 respectively. The Tesla Model Y is down -32.8% to #15.

The Renault Trafic is the best-selling LCV in France in 2025.

The Light Commercial Vehicle market recedes -5.6% to 360,505 sales. Renault (-11.4%) easily stays in the lead with 28.2% share, distancing Peugeot (-1.8%) at 18.4% and Citroen (-15.3%) at 12%. Ford (+3.6%) ensures the Top 4 is unchanged on 2024, while Fiat (+4.7%) is back above Mercedes (-0.3%) to round out the Top 5. Toyota (+30.5%) and Volkswagen (+11.2%) deliver the biggest gains in the Top 10. The Renault Trafic (+2.5%) takes the lead of the models charts with 8% share, with the Renault Kangoo (+6.7%), Peugeot Partner (-11.5%) and Expert (+2.6%) following and all up one spot. The Renault Master IV (+746.8%) ends its first full year of sales at #5, a notch below the Master III which was #1 in 2024. Excellent showings also by the Ford Transit Custom (+30%), Renault Clio V (+15.9%) and Fiat Ducato (+6%).

Complete brands and models data will be uploaded to this article when made available to us.

Previous year: France 2024: Renault Clio snaps last minute win

Two years ago: France 2023: Renault and Clio back in charge, Tesla up to #7

Full December and Full Year 2025 Top 25 brands and Top 50 models, Top 20 LCV brands and Top 100 LCV models vs. Full Year 2024 figures below.