Peugeot 208 Claims Top Spot as Best-Selling Car in Europe, Dethroning Volkswagen Golf After 14 Years
The Peugeot 208 topped the European new car market in 2022, selling 206,816 units in 30 markets. The French small car saw a 5% increase in sales compared to the previous year, which allowed Peugeot to reclaim the top spot in the rankings, previously held by the 207 in 2007.
In 2022, the European new car market witnessed a major shift in its rankings, as the Peugeot 208 emerged as the best-selling model, dethroning the Volkswagen Golf, which had held the title since 2008. The 208’s success can be attributed to a 5% increase in its sales compared to the previous year, while the Golf saw a decline in sales due to issues with software, availability and increased competition within the Volkswagen Group. As a result, the Golf slipped to fifth place, behind the Dacia Sandero, Volkswagen T-Roc and Fiat/Abarth 500.
Citroen C3 and Peugeot 2008 out of the top 10
Additionally, the Fiat 500 showed a remarkable performance in the top 10, jumping from ninth place in 2021 to fourth in 2022. The Volkswagen T-Roc also saw significant growth, rising from sixth place to become the top-selling SUV in Europe and surpassing the Peugeot 2008.
The Peugeot 2008 saw a significant decline in sales, with a 28% decrease, but it still remained as Peugeot’s second best-selling SUV and Stellantis’ top performer. The Citroen C3 dropped from 10th place in 2021 to 11th in 2022. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Tucson and the Dacia Duster made their way into the top 10, taking the 8th and 9th place respectively and outperforming the Renault Clio, which fell from 4th place in 2021 to 10th in 2022.
Tesla Model Y: the best-selling electric
The Tesla Model Y was a standout performer among electric vehicles, with 138,128 units sold. It beat out the Model 3 to become the top-selling EV in Europe, though it didn’t surpass the 141,952 units sold by the Model 3 in 2021. Despite this, Tesla was the 18th best-selling brand in Europe with a total of 233,307 units sold, outpacing major brands such as Seat, Mini, Mazda, and Suzuki.
The Toyota Yaris Cross experienced a significant increase in sales, with its volume rising from 27,272 units in 2021 to 136,986 units in 2022. Despite being a newcomer to the compact SUV market, the Yaris Cross has proven to be a wise investment for Toyota, securing its place as the fourth best-selling compact SUV.
The Kia Sportage saw a significant increase in sales in 2022 with the arrival of the latest model. It became the second best-selling C-SUV in Europe, closely trailing behind its sibling, the Hyundai Tucson.
These two SUVs outperformed popular models such as the Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Kuga, and Peugeot 3008 in terms of sales.
Other notable performances
The Opel/Vauxhall Mokka saw a 34% increase in sales, reaching 97,547 units, which placed it in 32nd place. The latest generation of the Peugeot 308 also experienced a substantial increase of 80%, reaching 90,160 units, however, it still lags behind top sellers such as the Volkswagen Golf with over 177,000 units and the Toyota Corolla with close to 130,000 units.
The Cupra Formentor also made a strong showing, selling 87,175 units, a 68% increase, outpacing any single Seat model. Other notable performers included the Renault Arkana, Mercedes C-Class, Volkswagen Taigo, Dacia Jogger, Dacia Spring, MG ZS, BMW 4 Series, Hyundai IONIQ 5, MG HS, Cupra Born, Polestar 2, Kia EV6, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.
