2014 (Q3) Europe: Best-Selling Car Manufacturers, Brands and Models

Golf SportsvanJanuary to September 2014: Volkswagen remained the largest passenger vehicle manufacturer and top-selling car brand in Europe with the VW Golf Europe’s favorite car model. VW was followed by the French PSA and Renault groups as Europe’s top car-producing conglomerates and by Ford and Opel as the top-selling marques. Sales of VW Golfs increased even faster than for the Ford Fiesta and Renault Clio.

Best-Selling Car Manufacturers in Europe in 2014 (Q1-Q3)

The top-selling passenger vehicle manufacturers in the European Union and EFTA during the first three quarters of 2014 according to car sales statistics released by the ACEA were:

Manufacturers % Share 2014 % Share 2013 Sales Q1-3/ 2014 Sales Q1-3/ 2013 % Change
ALL BRANDS** 9’906’668 9’361’719 5.8
VW Group 25.3 24.8 2’505’269 2’325’388 7.7
VOLKSWAGEN 12.3 12.4 1’215’644 1’161’602 4.7
AUDI 5.6 5.7 557’791 534’293 4.4
SKODA 4.5 4 443’090 373’896 18.5
SEAT 2.5 2.3 246’397 219’624 12.2
Others (1) 0.4 0.4 42’347 35’973 17.7
PSA Group 10.8 10.9 1’065’457 1’017’271 4.7
PEUGEOT 6 6 596’670 559’772 6.6
CITROEN 4.7 4.9 468’787 457’499 2.5
RENAULT Group 9.4 8.6 932’113 807’768 15.4
RENAULT 6.6 6.3 655’263 592’250 10.6
DACIA 2.8 2.3 276’850 215’518 28.5
FORD 7.5 7.4 738’071 692’594 6.6
GM Group 7.3 8 720’919 747’730 -3.6
OPEL/VAUXHALL 6.9 6.8 683’797 634’001 7.9
CHEVROLET 0.4 1.2 36’799 113’443 -67.6
GM (US) 0 0 323 286 12.9
BMW Group 6.3 6.5 619’875 604’675 2.5
BMW 5.1 5.2 508’943 487’761 4.3
MINI 1.1 1.2 110’932 116’914 -5.1
FIAT Group 5.9 6.1 588’371 573’517 2.6
FIAT 4.6 4.8 454’670 444’770 2.2
LANCIA/CHRYSLER 0.6 0.6 55’869 57’255 -2.4
ALFA ROMEO 0.5 0.5 45’557 50’851 -10.4
JEEP 0.3 0.2 25’350 17’256 46.9
Others (2) 0.1 0 6’925 3’385 104.6
DAIMLER 5.4 5.6 534’433 523’165 2.2
MERCEDES 5 5.1 492’891 473’879 4
SMART 0.4 0.5 41’542 49’286 -15.7
TOYOTA Group 4.2 4.3 418’385 405’680 3.1
TOYOTA 4 4.1 397’243 388’469 2.3
LEXUS 0.2 0.2 21’142 17’211 22.8
NISSAN 3.6 3.5 361’136 327’214 10.4
HYUNDAI 3.3 3.5 326’285 327’352 -0.3
KIA 2.8 2.8 272’600 259’654 5
VOLVO 1.8 1.7 182’370 163’303 11.7
MAZDA 1.4 1.2 138’556 113’896 21.7
SUZUKI 1.3 1.2 126’293 113’609 11.2
JAGUAR LAND ROVER Group 1.1 1.1 111’730 105’514 5.9
LAND ROVER 0.9 0.9 89’192 83’552 6.7
JAGUAR 0.2 0.2 22’538 21’962 2.6
HONDA 1.1 1.2 104’715 111’219 -5.8
MITSUBISHI 0.7 0.6 73’482 56’176 30.8
OTHER** 0.9 0.9 86’608 85’994 0.7
(1) VW Group: VW β€˜other’ include Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Porsche
(2) FIAT Group: FIAT β€˜other’ include Dodge, Ferrari, Maserati
(*) data for Malta n.a.
(**) ACEA estimates

There were only minor changes in the order of the top passenger vehicle manufacturers in Europe during the first nine months of 2014 compared to a year ago. Only three manufacturing groups had weaker sales.

The Volkswagen Group outperformed the broader market to once again increase the group’s share of the European new car market to more than a quarter. The PSA Group underperformed slightly, mostly due to continued weakness in the Citroen brand, although Peugeot sales were also unspectacular.

The Renault Group saw the most growth of the larger groups with both Renault and Dacia experiencing strong growth.

Ford narrowly outperformed the broader market while the GM Group was the only major group with weaker sales. In GM’s case due to Chevrolet withdrawing from the European market. GM’s weak performance allowed Ford to reclaim its position as the fourth largest car-manufacturing group in Europe.

Strong growth by Nissan allowed the Japanese manufacturer to overtake Hyundai. The South Korean company and Honda were the only other manufacturing groups with negative numbers.

Mitsubishi (+31%) were the most improved manufacturing group in Europe during the first three quarters of 2014. Mazda (+22%) and Suzuki (+11%) also experienced strong growth.

Best-Selling Car Brands in Europe in 2014 (Q1-Q3)

The top-selling car marques in the European Union and EFTA during the first three quarters of 2014 according to car sales statistics released by the ACEA were:

Brand Rank Manufacturers Sales Q1-3/2014 Sales Q1-3/2013 % Change
1 VOLKSWAGEN 1’215’644 1’161’602 4.7
2 FORD 738’071 692’594 6.6
3 OPEL/VAUXHALL 683’797 634’001 7.9
4 RENAULT 655’263 592’250 10.6
5 PEUGEOT 596’670 559’772 6.6
6 AUDI 557’791 534’293 4.4
7 BMW 508’943 487’761 4.3
8 MERCEDES 492’891 473’879 4
9 CITROEN 468’787 457’499 2.5
10 FIAT 454’670 444’770 2.2
11 SKODA 443’090 373’896 18.5
12 TOYOTA 397’243 388’469 2.3
13 NISSAN 361’136 327’214 10.4
14 HYUNDAI 326’285 327’352 -0.3
15 DACIA 276’850 215’518 28.5
16 KIA 272’600 259’654 5
17 SEAT 246’397 219’624 12.2
18 VOLVO 182’370 163’303 11.7
19 MAZDA 138’556 113’896 21.7
20 SUZUKI 126’293 113’609 11.2
21 MINI 110’932 116’914 -5.1
22 HONDA 104’715 111’219 -5.8
23 LAND ROVER 89’192 83’552 6.7
24 MITSUBISHI 73’482 56’176 30.8
25 LANCIA/CHRYSLER 55’869 57’255 -2.4
26 ALFA ROMEO 45’557 50’851 -10.4
27 SMART 41’542 49’286 -15.7
28 CHEVROLET 36’799 113’443 -67.6
29 JEEP 25’350 17’256 46.9
30 JAGUAR 22’538 21’962 2.6

There were no changes in the rank order of the ten most-popular car brands in Europe during the first nine months of 2014 compared to a year ago. Market-leader Volkswagen underperformed the broader market while Ford and especially Opel / Vauxhall had stronger sales.

Renault was the most improved of the top brands and the only marque to have increased by double-digit percentages. Peugeot also outperformed the broader market.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes all increased sales by just over 4% while Citroen and Fiat both maintained their relative positions with increases in sales of more than 2% each.

Outside the top-ten list, Skoda overtook Toyota; Nissan passed Hyundai, while Dacia leapfrogged both Seat and Kia. Jeep (+47%) and Mitsubishi (+31%) were the most-improved brands.

Only seven brands had weaker sales during the first three quarters of 2014. Worst performer was Chevrolet with sales down by two-thirds due to the American company withdrawing from the European market. Sales of Smart cars were down 16% – a new model is due in the final quarter of the year. Alfa Romeo was the only other brand with sales down by more than 10%.

Best-Selling Car Models in Europe in 2014 (Q1-Q3)

The five most popular car models in the European Union from January to September 2014 according to JatoΒ were:

Rank Car Model Sales Q1-3/2014 Sales Q1-3/2013 % Change
1 Volkswagen Golf 399’118 347’123 15
2 Ford Fiesta 243’813 222’032 9.8
3 Renault Clio 227’993 216’980 5.1
4 Volkswagen Polo 207’886 201’496 3.2
5 Opel / Vauxhall Corsa 194’826 188’612 3.3

The VW Golf increased its lead as Europe’s favorite car model during the first nine months of 2014. Golf sales thus far this year are up 15% – the only double-digit growth of the top models.

The Ford Fiesta sales were up near 10% – to some extend helped by the expanding British car market where the Fiesta is the best-selling car model.

The Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo maintained their position from a year ago despite underperforming the market. More surprising was the Opel / Vauxhall Corsa: it took fifth place from the Peugeot 208 despite being only months from being replaced by a completely new model.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.