2024 (October): New car sales in Europe were flat with the Volkswagen Group dominating the European passenger vehicle market.
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe in October 2024 were flat with a mere 0.1% contraction. During the first ten months of 2024, European car sales increased by 1.1%. The Volkswagen Group gained market share while Stellantis struggled. Volkswagen and Toyota were again the best-selling car brands in Europe. The Dacia Sandero was Europe’s top-selling car model followed by the Peugeot 208 and VW Tiguan. Europe’s favorite battery-electric car in October 2024 was the Skoda Enyaq followed by the Tesla Model Y and VW ID 4.
Latest European Car Market Statistics 2024: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October; 2023: By Country, Brands, Models, Electric Models.
European New Car Market in October 2024
According to JATO Dynamics’ data for 28 European markets, the number of new car registrations decreased by just 0.1% to 1,040,390 units compared to figures from October 2023. Year-to-date 2024, new passenger car registrations rose by 1.1% to a total of 10,796,414. Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics, said: “As we head towards the end of the year, carmakers are increasingly rolling out discounts and deals to sell off any unsold stock. This is helping registration figures stabilize and shouldn’t be mistaken as an indication of market recovery.”
Registrations of electric vehicles increased by 6.7% compared to October 2023, driving overall sales figures last month. Gasoline car registrations rose by 0.7%, while figures for diesel vehicles and plug-in hybrids fell by 8.1% and 7.2%, respectively.
In October 2024, gasoline cars were the most popular among European consumers, followed by pure electric vehicles. Munoz, added: “The strong performance of electric vehicles in Europe is welcome news, in particular for those manufacturers that already have a large electric offering.”
Volkswagen Group Leading Car Sales in Europe in October 2024
The Volkswagen Group remained by far the largest carmaker in Europe selling more than 287,000 new cars in October 2024. This 11% increase in sales allowed the Volkswagen Group to increase its market share in Europe to 27.6% — the highest in three years.
Despite the strong performance of electric vehicles for Volkswagen Group, gasoline and diesel cars accounted for over three-quarters of its registrations in October.
Best-Selling Car Brands in Europe in October 2024
The top 25 best-selling car brands in Europe in October 2024 according to JATO were:
Volkswagen remained the largest car brand in Europe in October 2024 followed by Toyota. The six largest car brands all increased market share.
Despite being the second-largest car manufacturer in Europe in October 2024, the Stellantis Group experienced a 17% decrease in registrations. While registrations of its electric vehicles increased by 5%, figures for its gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid cars dropped by 13%, 25%, and 63%, respectively. Peugeot sales increased by 11% but Fiat, Citroen, and Opel all had much weaker sales.
Toyota recorded an increase in registrations of 13% due to the continued popularity of its Yaris, as well as its second-generation C-HR. Hybrid vehicles from the manufacturer registered almost 63,000 units last month – this amounted to almost 75% of its volume, while only recording 2,800 pure electric cars.
In the case of Geely Group, both electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids performed well, responsible for 39% and 31% of its registrations last month, respectively. Both Volvo and Polestar also experienced sizable increases in registrations last month.
Chinese manufacturers recorded mixed results. SAIC, the owner of MG and Maxus, registered 18,300 new cars in October – a drop of 8%. In contrast, BYD had a strong month due to the performance of its electric cars as well as the introduction of its plug-in hybrid models, registering 4,600 pure electric vehicles and 1,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Chery’s brands, Jaecoo and Omoda, also recorded good results last month. These brands are mostly present in Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK.
Best-Selling Car Models in Europe in October 2024
The top 25 best-selling car models in Europe in October 2024 according to JATO were:
The Dacia Sandero retained its position as the best-selling vehicle model in Europe in October 2024, despite a decrease in registrations of 2.7%. The Peugeot 208 took second spot in the ranking, with a significant increase in registrations of 41%.
Other key models included the Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan, the Toyota Yaris, and the Dacia Duster. The BMW X1, Skoda Enyaq, Karoq, and Kodiaq also had solid performances in October. The Volvo EX30 registered more than 5,300 units, the Porsche Macan registered an increase of 142% units due to its new electric generation, and the Fiat/Abarth 600 experienced a rise in units – from 304 in October 2023 to more than 4,169 cars.
The Dacia Sandero remained the best-selling car thus far in Europe followed by the VW Golf.
Best-Selling Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Cars
The best-selling battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Europe in October 2024 according to JATO were:
Pure electric cars largely contributed to the Volkswagen Group’s success in October 2024. The Skoda Enyaq (+44%) secured the top spot as Europe’s best-selling electric car by outperforming the Tesla Model Y (-18%). Registrations of the Volkswagen ID.4 increased by 24%, and the ID.7 registered more than 5,000 units. Other new models such as the Volvo EX30 and Porsche Macan also sold well.
Europe Car Sales Statistics
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