In full-year 2020, the Peugeot 208 and Renault Clio were again the best-selling car models in France. French models dominated the top-ten list.
In 2020, the Peugeot 208 II was the top-selling car model in France but the Renault Clio nameplate (models IV and V combined) was still the best-selling car model name. French brands dominated the top-ten list with the Toyota Yaris at eleventh again the favorite imported car model of the French in 2020. The Renault Zoe was the best-selling battery-electric vehicle in France in 2020. The French new car market contracted by a quarter in full-year 2020.
Latest French Car Sales Statistics — 2023: Market Overview, Brands, Models; 2022, 2021, 2020.
Top 30 Best-Selling Car Models in France in 2020 (Full Year)
The thirty best-selling car models in France in 2020 according to car sales statistics data released by the CCFA were:
| Brand and Model | Sold in 2020 | % Share | |
| 1 | PEUGEOT 208 II | 92 796 | 5,6% |
| 2 | RENAULT CLIO V | 84 031 | 5,1% |
| 3 | PEUGEOT 2008 II | 66 698 | 4,0% |
| 4 | CITROEN C3 III | 58 547 | 3,5% |
| 5 | RENAULT CAPTUR II | 54 597 | 3,3% |
| 6 | DACIA SANDERO | 53 354 | 3,2% |
| 7 | PEUGEOT 3008 II | 45 165 | 2,7% |
| 8 | RENAULT TWINGO III | 43 116 | 2,6% |
| 9 | RENAULT ZOE | 37 409 | 2,3% |
| 10 | PEUGEOT 308 II | 36 575 | 2,2% |
| 11 | TOYOTA YARIS | 33 455 | 2,0% |
| 12 | DACIA DUSTER 2 | 30 260 | 1,8% |
| 13 | CITROEN C3 AIRCR. | 30 165 | 1,8% |
| 14 | RENAULT MEGANE IV | 28 980 | 1,8% |
| 15 | CITROEN C5 AIRCR. | 26 577 | 1,6% |
| 16 | OPEL CORSA | 22 410 | 1,4% |
| 17 | VOLKSWAGEN POLO VI | 21 493 | 1,3% |
| 18 | PEUGEOT 5008 II | 20 050 | 1,2% |
| 19 | RENAULT KADJAR | 19 679 | 1,2% |
| 20 | FIAT 500 | 17 450 | 1,1% |
| 21 | FORD FIESTA VII | 16 290 | 1,0% |
| 22 | PEUGEOT 108 | 15 833 | 1,0% |
| 23 | FORD PUMA | 15 604 | 0,9% |
| 24 | TOYOTA COROLLA | 15 110 | 0,9% |
| 25 | VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC | 14 898 | 0,9% |
| 26 | MERCEDES CLASSE A | 14 893 | 0,9% |
| 27 | TOYOTA C-HR | 14 406 | 0,9% |
| 28 | MINI MINI III | 14 119 | 0,9% |
| 29 | HYUNDAI KONA | 13 314 | 0,8% |
| 30 | FIAT PANDA III | 13 201 | 0,8% |
| Source: CCFA |
The CCFA statistics are for a specific car model not just the name plate. When new car models are introduced during the calendar year, the sales for the older and new models are counted separately. Whereas the Peugeot 208 II was the clear top-selling car model in 2020, the Renault Clio was second with the fifth generation and 34th with the remaining stock of the fourth generation.
A few further interesting statistics, other than the top-ten considered below, included:
- The Toyota Yaris was in 2020 for the second consecutive year the favorite imported car model of the French. It again just missed out on a top-ten placing.
- The Opel Corsa, now based on the Peugeot 208 platform, outsold the VW Polo, which previously was often the top-selling imported car in France.
- The Fiat 500 was the top-selling Italian car model in France.
Top-Ten Car Model Names in France in 2020 (Full Year)
Combining the sales of the older and newer model generation vehicles, the top-ten best-selling car model names in France in the full calendar year 2020 were:
| Car Make & Model | Sold 2020 | Sold 2019 | Sold 2018 | Sold 2017 | Sold 2016 | |
| 1 | Renault Clio | 95,943 | 131,507 | 123,658 | 117,541 | 112,152 |
| 2 | Peugeot 208 | 92,796 | 105,589 | 102,395 | 97,663 | 97,830 |
| 3 | Peugeot 2008 | 66,698 | 59,218 | 66,284 | 67,979 | 65,986 |
| 4 | Citroen C3 | 58,547 | 80,757 | 77,937 | 67,276 | 51,843 |
| 5 | Renault Captur | 54,597 | 70,655 | 67,396 | 68,773 | 70,769 |
| 6 | Dacia Sandero | 53,354 | 69,343 | 70,077 | 61,481 | 56,199 |
| 7 | Peugeot 3008 | 45,165 | 72,940 | 84,834 | 74,297 | – |
| 8 | Renault Twingo | 43,116 | 50,724 | 46,372 | 39,022 | 40,793 |
| 9 | Renault Zoe | 37,409 | 18,817 | – | – | – |
| 10 | Peugeot 308 | 36,575 | 56,435 | 63,218 | 66,163 | 75,509 |
| Souce: CCFA |
Of the top best-selling car models in France in 2020, the Renault Clio was the only model name with sufficient sales of two generations to enter the top 100 separately. The Renault Clio thus remained only just ahead of the Peugeot 208 in sales in France in 2020.
The Peugeot 208 narrowed the gap to the Renault Clio in France from over 25,000 cars in 2019 to just more than 3,000 in 2020. The Peugeot 208 was helped by electric car sales. Renault is not selling an electric Clio but the electric-only Renault Zoe was the ninth best-selling car model overall in France in 2020.
The Renault Zoe remained the top-selling electric car model in France in 2020. It was the only new entrant on the top-ten list and improved from 30th a year ago. The Zoe was only the second new model in the top-ten in France since 2016, although the rank order outside the top two frequently changed.
It is not possible to determine from the initial CCFA statistics the number of electric cars sold of models such as the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa but other battery-electric-only vehicles in the top 100 in France in 2020 included amongst others the Tesla Model 3 at 64th and the Volkswagen ID3 at 90th.
The Dacia Duster was the only model on the top-ten list in France last year failing to make the list in 2020. Dacia (-30%) generally struggled in France in 2020 but should benefit in 2021 from new model launches.
See also market overview and best-selling car brands in France in 2020.
Latest French Car Sales Statistics — 2023: Market Overview, Brands, Models; 2022, 2021, 2020.
