Peugeot’s 208 hatchback ended the Volkswagen Golf’s 15-year reign as Europe’s best-selling automobile because the area’s troubled automotive sector suffered a 3rd consecutive 12 months of declining gross sales in 2022.
Registrations declined by 4.1% to 11,309,310 models throughout the 30 markets analysed by Jato Dynamics, leaving it 5.6% down (674,000 models) on COVID-19 impacted 2020 and 29% down (4.53m models) on pre-pandemic 2019.
Europe’s general decline outstripped the 2.1% dip seen within the UK as automobile shortages, hovering inflation and the vitality disaster proved to be “main challenges for the already troubled market”, stated Felipe Munoz, international analyst at JATO Dynamics.
He added: “The fallout of the pandemic, adopted by the semi-conductor scarcity all through 2021 and 2022, was solely compounded by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent vitality worth will increase, impacting shopper confidence and spending.”
Launched in 2019, the Peugeot 208 turned Europe’s best-selling automobile for 2022 with 208,816 registrations to make sure the Stellantis-owned French automobile model led the standings for the primary time for the reason that 207 achieved the identical feat in 2007.
The 208’s consequence ended 15 years on the prime for the Volkswagen Golf, which completed fifth within the rankings, behind the Dacia Sandero in second (200,550 models), VW T-Roc (181,153) and Fiat 500 (179,863).
Jato highlighted Volkswagen’s manufacturing points and the expansion in reputation of its SUV fashions – together with the T-Roc T-Cross and Taigo – for the Golf’s decline.
The power of the general Volkswagen mannequin vary ensured that it remained Europe’s greatest promoting automobile model, with 1.2 billion gross sales – a 6% decline on 2021.
It was adopted by: Toyota, down 8% at 766,227; Mercedes-Benz, down 1% at 647,880; BMW, down 5% at 646,526; and Peugeot, which suffered a 15% decline to 623,825.
Registrations decline at Stellantis noticed it endure the best market share decline of the main producers, with a discount to 18.22% in 2022 from 20.23% in 2021.
Mixed, Hyundai-Kia registrations elevated 3.8% to 1.05m models.
Elsewhere, Jato highlighted China’s rising affect within the Europe automotive sector and the rising volumes of Elon Musk’s Tesla model, which renewed its push for quantity with a raft of January worth cuts.
Tesla’s market share soared from 1.43% in 2021 to 2.06% in 2022, outselling Seat, Mini, and Suzuki, whereas trailing Nissan by 4,300 models, as Chinese language manufacturers outsold established producers together with Mazda, Suzuki, and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR).
Jato stated that a big proportion of gross sales might be attributed to SAIC-owned MG, which noticed a quantity improve of 116% to nearly 114,000 models, outselling the likes of Jeep and Honda.
DR Vehicles, an Italian firm that sells rebadged autos manufactured by Chinese language model Chery in Spain and Italy, outsold Good and Subaru with a rise in registrations of 197% to nearly 25,000 models.
Rising manufacturers BYD, Hongqi, Maxus, NIO, DFSK, and Aiways, all registered over 1,000 models.
Munoz, stated: “A aggressive product providing and cheap gross sales targets are permitting Chinese language manufacturers to make inroads into the European automobile market. The following step is to construct consciousness and encourage the shift away from the adverse sentiment that has traditionally dissuaded some shoppers from shopping for Chinese language merchandise.”