The ranking of the best-selling cars in Europe in 2022. Volkswagen Golf loses its primacy after more than fifteen years of leadership.
The car market is in turmoil and some models that have been established for many years are starting to feel the competition breathing down their necks. As in the case of Volkswagen Golf. Until a few years ago, the German group’s famous sedan was the leader in the ranking of best-selling cars in Europe, appreciated for its solidity and reliability which have made it an icon in the history of four wheels.
Now the Old Continent has a new queen: the Peugeot 208 is the most loved by European motorists in 2022, surpassing the Volkswagen Golf, which held the first place since 2007. The French sedan registered 206,816 units in 2022, a 5% improvement compared to 2021, and almost 30,000 more than the 177,203 of Golf.
Peugeot 208 new queen of Europe
New car sales remain quite low compared to the pre-pandemic period. They were sold last year 11.3 million new cars in EU markets, adding Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and the UK. This is the lowest level recorded on the market since 1985, with a reduction of 29% compared to 2019. A reduction dictated by the crisis in the supply of semiconductors, by galloping inflation, by the increase in energy prices dictated by the war in Ukraine . And the chip shortage will also hit 2023 sales.
According to new data released by Jato Dynamics, the SUV segment is increasingly in demand compared to other segments, hence the growth of models such as Volkswagen T-Roc, Hyundai Tucson and Dacia Duster. But there is also a growth in low-cost models, it is no coincidence that eight of the ten best-selling cars are in segment B. The Peugeot 208 collected the highest number of sales, followed by the Dacia Sandero with 200,500 units.
The 27% drop in sales of the Renault Clio, dropped from fourth place in 2021 to tenth in 2022, probably due to the diversion of chips to highly profitable Dacia models. Stellantis as a whole also suffers a drop in market share from 20.23% to 18.22%. It resists well Fiat 500 which added an electric variant, but sales of mild-hybrid and petrol models remain solid. An electric version of the Abarth 500 is also on the way, with sales starting by the end of the year.
The best-selling cars in Europe in 2022
1.Peugeot 208, 206.816
2. Dacha Sandero, 200,550
3.Volkswagen T-Roc, 181.153
4. Fiat/Abarth 500, 179,863
5.Volkswagen Golf, 177.203
6.Toyota Yaris, 175.713
7. Opel Corsa, 164.358
8. Hyundai Tucson, 150.803
9. Dacia Duster, 149.648
10.Renault Clio, 143.561
