2019 (Full Year) Europe: Best-Selling Car Models

In 2019, the top-selling car models in Europe were again the Volkswagen Golf, Renault Clio, VW Polo, and Ford Fiesta.

White VW e_Golf at Geneva 2019. In full-year 2019, the Volkswagen Golf was again the best-selling car model in the European Union (EU).

In full-year 2019, the Volkswagen Golf was again the best-selling car model in the European Union (EU). The Renault Clio was again the second-top-selling car in Europe followed by the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta. SUV models increased in popularity in Europe with the VW Tiguan Europe’s favorite SUV in 2019.

List of the 25 Top-Selling Car Models in Europe in 2019

The 25 best-selling car models in the European Union in 2019 according to JATO were:

20182019Make & ModelCars 2019%18/19Cars 2018Cars 2017Cars 2016
11Volkswagen Golf410,330-8445,754483,105492,952
22Renault Clio319,136-5336,268327,395315,115
33Volkswagen Polo256,259-14299,920272,061308,561
44Ford Fiesta228,183-16270,738254,539300,528
75VW Tiguan224,8901224,788234,916180,198
66Peugeot 208224,659-2230,049244,615249,047
117Dacia Sandero224,6556216,306196,067170,300
128Renault Captur224,1275214,720212,768217,105
159Ford Focus224,06514196,583214,661214,435
810Skoda Octavia223,4160223,352230,116230,255
1011Opel / Vauxhall Corsa221,6232217,036232,738264,844
1712Dacia Duster221,42824182,100NANA
513Nissan Qashqai218,560-6233,026247,939234,340
1314Citroen C3212,8331210,082207,299134,560
915Toyota Yaris212,526-2217,642199,182193,969
–16Volkswagen T-Roc207,86346NANANA
2317Mercedes Benz A-Class199,71328156,020NANA
1418Peugeot 3008195,211-5204,197166,784NA
2019Fiat Panda184,2889168,697187,322191,617
1620Fiat 500176,414-7191,205189,928183,730
1821Peugeot 2008167,417-7180,204180,868NA
2522Ford Kuga162,1065154,125NANA
1923Skoda Fabia157,853-8172,511180,136177,301
–24Mercedes Benz C-Class146,023-3NA176,705176,551
2425Peugeot 308143,4708155,925NA195,653
Source: JATO

Ten Favorite Car Models in Europe in 2019

No Changes at the Top

In 2019, for the fourth consecutive year, the Volkswagen Golf, Renault Clio, VW Polo, and Ford Fiesta were the four most-popular car models in the European Union. All four sold in lower numbers than a year ago, while the overall European new car market expanded in 2019. The rest of the top 25 was a free for all with only the Peugeot 206 maintaining the same rank position as a year ago.

The VW Golf was again Europe’s favorite car model in 2019, as it has been since 2008. However, Golf sales were down by 8% to the lowest volume numbers since 2011. Golf sales were 35,000 cars lower than in 2018 and a massive 120,000 fewer than in 2015. Nevertheless, the Golf remained by far the top-selling car model in Europe in 2019.

VW Golf sales were hindered by a model change starting gradually from December 2019 with deliveries only really starting in 2020. The new Golf 8 will not have an electric version with the future of the Golf model name uncertain depending on the development of the electric car market and the ID3 model name.

Renault Clio sales were also lower in 2019 but the drop in sales less dramatic as for the other top models. A new Clio model was introduced during the year.

Sales of the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta were sharply down – both models sold over 300,000 cars in 2016, as well as in 2015 when the Fiesta was still the second-most-popular car model in Europe. Neither model can expect a boost from a newer version as updates are still years away.

Hotly Contested 5 to 10

The rest of the top-ten best-selling car models in Europe in 2019 was more hotly contested. Only 825 sales separated 5th and 9th.

The VW Tiguan moved up two rank positions from a year ago to replace the Nissan Qashqai as the most-popular SUV in Europe. SUVs took a record 38% market share in the European Union in 2019.

The Peugeot 208 maintained its sixth place from a year ago. The model was changed during 2019 and should expect strong sales in 2020. The Citroen C3 and Opel Corsa based on the same platform should also hope for gains in 2020.

Strong sales increases allowed the Dacia Sandero (11th to 7th) and Renault Captur (12th to 8th) to reach their highest rank positions to date. The Sandero missed out on sixth by only five cars.

However, the most-improved top-ten car in Europe was the Ford Focus that increased sales by 14% to reenter the top 10 list from 15th in 2018. The new Focus was well-received and sales at the highest level since 2015 when the Focus was the 6th best-selling car model in Europe.

The Skoda Octavia rounded out the top ten with sales up by 64 units from a year ago but dropping two rank positions nonetheless.

Other Top-Selling Car Models in Europe in 2019

The Opel / Vauxhall Corsa slipped out of the top ten but may receive a boost in 2020 with the new model based on a PSA platform. The Corsa was the 5th best-selling car model in Europe from 2013 to 2016 and was ranked even higher previously.

Dacia Duster sales increased by a quarter to improve five rank positions. In contrast, the Nissan Qashqai was a big loser in 2019 with sales down by 6% to slip from 5th to 13th despite SUVs in high demand in Europe.

The Qashqai was for years the top-selling SUV in Europe but the model was overtaken by the competition. Volkswagen, as often late to the trend but then in full force, sold over a million SUVs in Europe in 2019. The VW Tiguan was the favorite SUV in Europe in 2019 while the VW T-Roc became the 16th most-popular car model, as the only new model into the top 25. The smaller VW T-Cross is reportedly also selling well.

The top-selling “premium” car model in Europe was the Mercedes-Benz A-Class with sales up by 28% and improving from 23rd to 18th. Although sales were lower, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class reentered the top-25 after just missing out in 2018.

The two cars dropping out of the top-25 list of best-selling car models in Europe in 2019 were the VW Passat and the Opel / Vauxhall Astra. A new Astra based on a PSA platform is due in 2021.

European Car Sales Statistics for 2019 (Full Year)

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.