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.
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.
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 (-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 has 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 20 brands and Top 100 models below.
France January 2026 – brands:
| Pos | Brand | Jan-26 | % | /25 | Dec |
| 1 | Renault | 21,402 | 20.0% | + 20.7% | 1 |
| 2 | Peugeot | 17,707 | 16.5% | – 8.2% | 2 |
| 3 | Citroen | 9,493 | 8.9% | + 2.8% | 4 |
| 4 | Toyota | 9,164 | 8.6% | – 12.7% | 6 |
| 5 | Volkswagen | 6,921 | 6.5% | – 7.0% | 3 |
| 6 | Dacia | 6,596 | 6.2% | – 33.9% | 5 |
| 7 | Skoda | 3,075 | 2.9% | + 8.0% | 12 |
| 8 | Opel | 3,016 | 2.8% | + 7.8% | 19 |
| 9 | Audi | 2,692 | 2.5% | – 16.6% | 11 |
| 10 | BMW | 2,680 | 2.5% | – 35.5% | 7 |
| 11 | Hyundai | 2,392 | 2.2% | – 30.2% | 10 |
| 12 | Ford | 2,118 | 2.0% | – 27.7% | 13 |
| 13 | Fiat | 2,098 | 2.0% | + 21.6% | 22 |
| 14 | Kia | 1,828 | 1.7% | – 26.8% | 15 |
| 15 | Suzuki | 1,521 | 1.4% | – 10.4% | 21 |
| 16 | Mini | 1,511 | 1.4% | + 11.8% | 16 |
| 17 | Mercedes | 1,505 | 1.4% | + 24.5% | 9 |
| 18 | Nissan | 1,338 | 1.2% | – 14.2% | 14 |
| 19 | Cupra | 1,169 | 1.1% | + 10.9% | 20 |
| 20 | MG (est) | 1,155 | 1.1% | – 25.0% | 8 |
France January 2026 – models:
| Pos | Model | Jan-26 | % | /25 | Dec |
| 1 | Peugeot 208 | 6,437 | 6.0% | + 7.6% | 4 |
| 2 | Renault Clio V | 4,429 | 4.1% | – 16.1% | 1 |
| 3 | Citroen C3 IV | 4,270 | 4.0% | – 30.4% | 3 |
| 4 | Peugeot 2008 | 4,015 | 3.7% | – 15.0% | 6 |
| 5 | Renault 5 | 3,952 | 3.7% | + 40.5% | 2 |
| 6 | Peugeot 3008 III | 2,876 | 2.7% | – 29.8% | 14 |
| 7 | Renault Clio VI | 2,849 | 2.7% | new | 32 |
| 8 | Dacia Sandero | 2,823 | 2.6% | – 42.6% | 5 |
| 9 | Renault Captur | 2,684 | 2.5% | + 18.5% | 8 |
| 10 | Toyota Yaris | 2,684 | 2.5% | + 10.0% | 7 |
| 11 | Peugeot 308 | 2,513 | 2.3% | – 2.9% | 16 |
| 12 | Toyota Yaris Cross | 2,471 | 2.3% | – 34.3% | 9 |
| 13 | Citroen C3 Aircross II | 2,304 | 2.2% | + 12026.3% | 10 |
| 14 | Toyota C-HR II | 2,038 | 1.9% | + 65.3% | 40 |
| 15 | Renault Scenic V | 1,945 | 1.8% | + 65.3% | 28 |
| 16 | Dacia Duster III | 1,738 | 1.6% | – 43.5% | 17 |
| 17 | Renault Symbioz | 1,565 | 1.5% | – 14.3% | 23 |
| 18 | VW Polo | 1,546 | 1.4% | – 28.0% | 15 |
| 19 | Citroen C5 Aircross II | 1,447 | 1.4% | new | 51 |
| 20 | Ford Puma | 1,245 | 1.2% | + 2.1% | 21 |
| 21 | Peugeot 5008 III | 1,241 | 1.2% | + 7.3% | 42 |
| 22 | Dacia Bigster | 1,177 | 1.1% | new | 20 |
| 23 | Opel Corsa | 1,153 | 1.1% | – 43.9% | 54 |
| 24 | Renault Austral | 1,074 | 1.0% | – 12.2% | 34 |
| 25 | Citroen C4 | 1,062 | 1.0% | – 26.3% | 82 |
| 26 | Renault Megane E-Tech | 1,007 | 0.9% | + 48.3% | 55 |
| 27 | Toyota Aygo X | 971 | 0.9% | – 14.0% | 60 |
| 28 | Suzuki Swift | 941 | 0.9% | – 21.5% | 41 |
| 29 | Renault 4 | 925 | 0.9% | new | 29 |
| 30 | VW ID.4 | 887 | 0.8% | + 142.3% | 56 |
| 31 | VW T-Roc II | 867 | 0.8% | new | 65 |
| 32 | Skoda Elroq | 856 | 0.8% | + 28433.3% | 46 |
| 33 | Opel Mokka | 834 | 0.8% | + 112.8% | 89 |
| 34 | VW Golf | 818 | 0.8% | – 8.0% | 27 |
| 35 | Hyundai Kona | 803 | 0.7% | – 23.8% | 36 |
| 36 | Nissan Qashqai | 739 | 0.7% | + 9.6% | 13 |
| 37 | VW Tiguan III | 705 | 0.7% | – 40.8% | 24 |
| 38 | Opel Frontera | 689 | 0.6% | new | 107 |
| 39 | Toyota Corolla | 670 | 0.6% | – 45.4% | 84 |
| 40 | Mini Hatch | 659 | 0.6% | – 5.7% | 35 |
| 41 | VW ID.3 | 649 | 0.6% | + 63.1% | 59 |
| 42 | Mini Countryman | 630 | 0.6% | + 88.6% | 57 |
| 43 | Tesla Model Y | 613 | 0.6% | – 4.2% | 39 |
| 44 | Fiat 600 | 609 | 0.6% | – 45.2% | 104 |
| 45 | BMW iX1 | 608 | 0.6% | + 72.2% | 45 |
| 46 | Hyundai Tucson | 578 | 0.5% | – 41.0% | 12 |
| 47 | Fiat Grande Panda | 576 | 0.5% | new | 76 |
| 48 | Skoda Fabia | 562 | 0.5% | – 14.6% | 53 |
| 49 | Audi A1 | 555 | 0.5% | – 39.9% | 79 |
| 50 | Audi Q3 | 543 | 0.5% | + 67.6% | 44 |
| 51 | Skoda Octavia | 539 | 0.5% | – 25.6% | 58 |
| 52 | Fiat 500 | 536 | 0.5% | + 24.7% | 73 |
| 53 | Hyundai Inster | 527 | 0.5% | + 698.5% | 77 |
| 54 | Jeep Avenger | 526 | 0.5% | – 11.0% | 80 |
| 55 | Audi A3 | 513 | 0.5% | + 9.9% | 52 |
| 56 | VW T-Cross | 490 | 0.5% | – 27.7% | 38 |
| 57 | Cupra Born | 487 | 0.5% | + 319.8% | 78 |
| 58 | Dacia Jogger | 467 | 0.4% | – 53.0% | 63 |
| 59 | BMW X1 | 442 | 0.4% | – 44.1% | 22 |
| 60 | Seat Ibiza | 440 | 0.4% | – 33.1% | 68 |
| 61 | Alfa Romeo Junior | 438 | 0.4% | – 10.2% | 103 |
| 62 | MG ZS | 419 | 0.4% | – 47.2% | 18 |
| 63 | Kia EV4 | 410 | 0.4% | new | 128 |
| 64 | Ford Kuga | 396 | 0.4% | – 59.0% | 33 |
| 65 | Dacia Spring | 385 | 0.4% | – 59.7% | 37 |
| 66 | Skoda Kamiq | 383 | 0.4% | – 13.7% | 66 |
| 67 | Nissan Juke | 376 | 0.4% | – 39.0% | 48 |
| 68 | Mercedes CLA | 358 | 0.3% | + 289.1% | 97 |
| 69 | MG 3 | 345 | 0.3% | – 29.4% | 11 |
| 70 | Peugeot 408 | 326 | 0.3% | – 16.6% | 136 |
| 71 | BMW Série 1 | 325 | 0.3% | – 74.9% | 25 |
| 72 | Kia Sportage | 317 | 0.3% | – 42.2% | 31 |
| 73 | DS 3 | 309 | 0.3% | – 31.8% | 148 |
| 74 | Kia Niro | 308 | 0.3% | – 29.5% | 110 |
| 75 | VW T-Roc I | 307 | 0.3% | – 63.3% | 50 |
| 76 | Xpeng G6 | 307 | 0.3% | + 184.3% | 99 |
| 77 | Renault Espace | 299 | 0.3% | – 32.5% | 72 |
| 78 | Suzuki Vitara | 289 | 0.3% | – 18.4% | 85 |
| 79 | Ford Explorer | 282 | 0.3% | + 118.6% | 101 |
| 80 | MG EHS | 275 | 0.3% | + 157.0% | 19 |
| 81 | Renault Rafale | 267 | 0.2% | – 40.5% | 67 |
| 82 | Cupra Formentor | 266 | 0.2% | – 40.6% | 74 |
| 83 | BMW iX2 | 262 | 0.2% | + 53.2% | 94 |
| 84 | Mercedes GLA | 259 | 0.2% | + 19.9% | 30 |
| 85 | Audi Q4 | 252 | 0.2% | – 52.4% | 88 |
| 86 | DS 4 | 248 | 0.2% | + 11.2% | 200 |
| 87 | Seat Leon | 242 | 0.2% | + 4.8% | 126 |
| 88 | Skoda Enyaq | 235 | 0.2% | – 20.6% | 93 |
| 89 | Volvo EX30 | 233 | 0.2% | + 14.2% | 109 |
| 90 | Kia Picanto | 232 | 0.2% | – 62.3% | 102 |
| 91 | Alpine A290 | 231 | 0.2% | + 0.4% | 118 |
| 92 | Skoda Kodiaq | 227 | 0.2% | – 23.3% | 90 |
| 93 | Opel Grandland | 227 | 0.2% | + 27.5% | 141 |
| 94 | Mini Aceman | 222 | 0.2% | + 17.5% | 91 |
| 95 | BMW i4 | 221 | 0.2% | + 29.2% | 100 |
| 96 | Lexus LBX | 219 | 0.2% | – 61.1% | 139 |
| 97 | VW Taigo | 213 | 0.2% | – 36.0% | 96 |
Source: PFA, AAA Data
