September 2014: European Union & EFTA car sales increased for the 13th consecutive month with year-to-date growth of 5.8% to Β 9.9 million vehicles. During the first nine months of 2014, Germany and the UK remained the largest single-country vehicle markets in the European Union while Portugal had the highest growth. New passenger vehicle registrations contracted in only four countries during the first three quarters of 2014 compared with a year ago.
The European Car Market in 2014 (Q1-3)
The European car market (European Union and EFTA) grew in September 2014 for the 13th consecutive month. During the first three quarters of 2014, new passenger vehicle registrations increased by 5.8% to 9,906,668 cars.
Growth in the European Union was even higher at 6.1%. Year-to-date in 2104, car sales were only weaker in The Netherlands, Austria and Belgium (and Switzerland in EFTA).
Car Sales per European Country in 2014 (Q1-3)
New passenger vehicle registrations in the European Union (EU) and EFTA countries per country according to car sales statistics released by the ACEA during the first three quarter of 2014 were as follows:
Jan-Sep 2014 | Jan-Sep 2013 | % Chg | |
AUSTRIA | 237β363 | 248β111 | -4.3 |
BELGIUM | 388β095 | 389β471 | -0.4 |
BULGARIA | 15β150 | 13β898 | 9 |
CROATIA | 27β623 | 21β964 | 25.8 |
CYPRUS | 6β414 | 5β437 | 18 |
CZECH REPUBLIC | 141β470 | 120β154 | 17.7 |
DENMARK | 142β105 | 135β177 | 5.1 |
ESTONIA | 15β874 | 15β168 | 4.7 |
FINLAND | 83β087 | 80β972 | 2.6 |
FRANCE | 1β337β315 | 1β309β813 | 2.1 |
GERMANY | 2β281β671 | 2β217β019 | 2.9 |
GREECE | 53β844 | 44β010 | 22.3 |
HUNGARY | 49β384 | 41β048 | 20.3 |
IRELAND | 93β176 | 71β762 | 29.8 |
ITALY | 1β036β499 | 1β000β893 | 3.6 |
LATVIA | 9β239 | 7β763 | 19 |
LITHUANIA | 11β071 | 8β893 | 24.5 |
LUXEMBURG | 38β147 | 36β026 | 5.9 |
NETHERLANDS | 285β397 | 301β140 | -5.2 |
POLAND | 245β042 | 213β017 | 15 |
PORTUGAL | 107β391 | 79β385 | 35.3 |
ROMANIA | 51β564 | 41β073 | 25.5 |
SLOVAKIA | 53β264 | 47β080 | 13.1 |
SLOVENIA | 40β569 | 39β753 | 2.1 |
SPAIN | 640β673 | 546β435 | 17.2 |
SWEDEN | 222β636 | 193β065 | 15.3 |
UNITED KINGDOM | 1β958β196 | 1β794β924 | 9.1 |
EUROPEAN UNION | 9β572β259 | 9β023β451 | 6.1 |
ICELAND | 8β169 | 6β218 | 31.4 |
NORWAY | 107β104 | 105β784 | 1.2 |
SWITZERLAND | 219β136 | 226β266 | -3.2 |
EFTA | 334β409 | 338β268 | -1.1 |
EU28+EFTA | 9β906β668 | 9β361β719 | 5.8 |
*All statistics exclude Malta.
Car Sales in European Countries in 2014 (Q1-3)
Germany remained the strongest single-country car market in Europe during the first nine months of 2014 but growth was slower than the broader market. France and Italy similarly dragged the market down.
In contrast, new passenger vehicle registrations remained robust in the UK during the first three quarters of 2014. The British car market expanded for the 31st consecutive month in September 2014.
The highest growth in car sales during the first nine months of 2014 was in Portugal β sales increased by 35%. Other market larger than 100,000 cars with strong growth included the Czech Republic (+18%), Spain (+17%), Sweden (+15%), and Poland (+15%).
The new car market contracted in only four EU or EFTA countries during the first three quarters of 2014: Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and The Netherlands. As these markets are relatively large, the contraction put considerable downward pressure on the overall market.
Volkswagen remained the top-selling car manufacturer and brand in Europe during the first three quarters of 2014 with the VW Golf Europeβs favorite car model.