2022 (Full Year) France: Top 20 Best-Selling Car Models

In full-year 2022, the top-selling car models in France were the Peugeot 208 followed by the Dacia Sandero and Renault Clio.

In full-year 2022, the top-selling car models in France were the Peugeot 208 followed by the Dacia Sandero and Renault Clio.
Peugeot e-208 © Stelantis

2022 (January to December): the Peugeot 208 increased its lead as the favorite car model of the French with slightly higher sales volumes. The Dacia Sandero was the second-most popular car model in France in 2022 ahead of the Renault Clio. The Toyota Yaris was the top-selling foreign car model.

Latest French Car Sales Statistics — 2023: Market Overview, Brands, Models; 2022, 2021, 2020.

Top 20 Best-Selling Car Models in France in 2022

The 20 best-selling car models in France in 2022 according to car sales statistics data released by the CCFA were:

Brand and ModelSold 2022Sold 2021
1PEUGEOT 208 II88,81288,013
2DACIA SANDERO 364,29373,740
3RENAULT CLIO V64,01285,247
4CITROEN C3 Ill58,88065,365
5PEUGEOT 2008 II51,45475,477
6RENAULT CAPTUR II45,57752,596
7PEUGEOT 308 II41,65617,436
8PEUGEOT 3008 II36,28150,399
9DACIA DUSTER 231,64831,058
10RENAULT ARKANA31,63817,977
11TOYOTA YARIS31,11532,299
12FIAT 50027,52725,042
13TOYOTA YARIS CROSS23,577New
14RENAULT TWINGO lll22,53529,111
15CITROEN C5 AIRCR.20,65321,907
16FORD PUMA20,51116,176
17CITROEN C3 AIRCR.19,96926,666
18DACIA SPRING18,326New
19VOLKSWAGEN POLO VI18,21523,882
20RENAULT MEGANE IV17,81827,952
23TESLA MODEL 317,00524,911
33RENAULT ZOE12,18023,573

Top-Selling Car Models in France in 2022 (Full Year)

Most of the top-ten best-selling car models in France in 2022 were familiar names but there was some shake-up in the order of the top sellers.

At the top, nothing changed. The Peugeot 208 was again the top-selling model in France in 2022. In contrast to the next five models, the volume of 208 sales actually increased, if only by 799 cars. The 208 is helped by having an electric version firmly established in the model line-up.

The Dacia Sandero moved into second place in France for the first time ever by replacing the Renault Clio, which slipped to third with sales down by over 20,000 cars. The Citroen C3 improved one place despite weaker sales largely due to the Peugeot 2008 slipping down two places with sales down by 24,000 units.

The Renault Captur remained in sixth place while the Peugeot 308 improved from 23rd to 7th in its first full year on the French market. The Peugeot 3008 was down one position while the Dacia Duster was again ninth.

The Renault Arkana improved from 21st to 10th in its first full year on the market.

The Toyota Yaris remained the top-selling foreign car model in France in 2022 despite slipping out of the top ten. If sales of the Toyota Yaris Cross were added, the combined total would suffice for fifth position. As it is, the two Yaris cars are split by the Fiat 500.

The Renault Twingo slipped from 10th to 14th while the Ford Puma improved from 25th to 16th. The VW Polo, the top-selling German car in France, was down another four places while the Renault Megane slipped from 11th to 20th.

The Dacia Spring was the best-selling battery-electric-only car model in France in 2022. Although unclear from initial statistics, the Spring was likely the top-selling electric car overall in France in 2022. The Tesla Model 3 slipped from 14th to 23rd and the Renault Zoe from 16th to 33rd.

Latest French Car Sales Statistics — 2023: Market Overview, Brands, Models; 2022, 2021, 2020.

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.