France January 2026: BEV sales up 52.1%, Renault Clio VI in Top 10

The new generation Renault Clio has cracked its home Top 10.

24/02 update: Now with Top 50 brands and Top 300 models.

After losing -5.5% to its lowest annual level in 50 years in 2025, the French new car market continues on its downward trajectory and starts 2026 with a -6.6% contraction to just 107,157 sales. Petrol sales implode -48.9% to 15,326 and 14.3% share vs. 26.1% a year ago while diesel is down -49.1% to 2,521 and 2.4% share vs. 4.3%. Hybrids for their part limit their fall to -0.5% to 51.171 units and 47.8% share vs. 44.9% in 2025, note this includes mild hybrids. PHEVs are also stable at -0.6% to 4,821 and 4.5% share vs. 4.2% last year. Finally BEVs surge 52.1% to 30.308 and 28.3% share vs. 17.4% a year ago. This is believed to be the highest BEV share in French history and was helped by the social leasing scrappage scheme dedicated to BEVs.

Renault surges 20.7% to 21.402 sales and 20% share vs. 17.5% over 2025. In contrast, Peugeot (-8.2%) falls faster than the market but still holds 16.5% share which is superior to its FY2025 level of 13.5%. Citroen (+2.8%) defies the negative context and climbs back up to #3 overall for the first time in almost two years: since February 2024. Toyota (-12.7%) suffers year-on-year but ranks #4, its highest since last August. Volkswagen (-7%) drops two spots on last month to #5 but the (bad) surprise of the month is Dacia freefalling -33.9% to #6, the low cost brand’s worst position since April 2021. Skoda (+8%) for its part is up to a record 7th place, also reached last October. Opel (+7.8%) is also in great shape at #8 vs. #19 last month and #15 over the Full Year 2025. Notice also Fiat (+21.6%) starting to bounce back up and BYD (+138%) outselling Tesla (-42.1%).

The models charts is impacted by the transition between two generations of Renault Clio. The Peugeot 208 (+7.6%) takes the lead with 6% share vs. 3.2% last month and is followed by the Renault Clio V (-16.1%) down to 4.1% of the market. Below is the Citroen C3 IV (-30.4%) falling sharply against a year-ago pole position and the Peugeot 2008 (-15%) also in difficult but reaching its highest ranking since last October. The Renault 5 (+40.5%) continues on its incredible success and equals the record 3.7% share it hit last month, however dropping three ranks to #5. The event of the month is the 7th place of the Renault Clio VI with 2.7% of the market, a big number being demo sales as the model just launched to the public this month. As for other recent launches, the Citroen C3 Aircross II is down three spots on December to #13, the Citroen C5 Aircross II up 32 to #19, the Dacia Bigster down two to #22, the Renault 4 repeating at #29, and the VW T-Roc II up 34 to #31.

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

One year ago: France January 2025: Citroen C3 triumphs

Full January 2026 Top 50 brands and Top 300 models below.