JATO announces winner and losers for 2014, the usual suspects win again.

• European new car sales grew 5.0% in December compared with the same month last year
• Volkswagen remains the dominant brand by volume, 67% ahead of its closest competitor
• Renault and Dacia gain most sales during the year

According to the latest new car sales analysis from JATO Dynamics, the world’s leading provider of automotive intelligence, annual new car sales in Europe increased by 5.3% in 2014, with monthly salesgrowth throughout the year compared to 2013. December sales were 5.0% higher than a year earlier,suggesting the trend remains positive.

JATO’s headline market analysis:

• Volkswagen’s Golf consolidated its lead in the new car market, with sales up 11.1% for the year
• Ford’s Fiesta took second place in overall sales for the year, while Renault’s Clio claimed second place inDecember
• Volkswagen, Ford and Opel/Vauxhall were the best-selling brands for the year, while Renault achievedsecond place in December

The new car market ended 2014 at almost 13 million units, with sales 5.3% higher than in 2013. December sales totalled almost one million units, 5.0% higher than a year earlier. Of the 29 markets analysed, 24 recorded volumes higher in 2014 than in 2013. Portugal and Ireland recorded the greatest percentage increases, while the greatest unit growth occurred in Great Britain and Spain. 

The remaining Big 5 markets of France, Germany and Italy also recorded increased sales for the full year, although France grew only 0.3% and its December volumes fell below those of a year earlier.

European Monthly Sales Volumes Year-on-Year Comparison

 

All of the top 10 brands recorded greater volumes in 2014 than in 2013. Volkswagen remains the dominant brand by volume, recording just over 1.6 million units for the year and 67% ahead of second placed Ford, despite a small loss of market share. 

Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot and Renault complete the top 5 for the year. Renault claimed second place in December, and recorded the greatest annual increase in unit sales for the year of all brands thanks to the success of its Captur small crossover and fourth generation Clio small car.

Outside the top 10, Dacia came second only to sister brand Renault for increased sales, recording 72,057 (24.6%) more units sold than in 2013.

Mitsubishi increased its annual volume by 24.4%, with the Space Start/Mirage, ASX and Outlander all contributing. Jeep saw its volume increase by 67.9% due to new product offerings of the Cherokee and Renegade. 

Tesla sales grew by 121.2% as the number of outlets and market acceptance of its all-electric Model S increased. Maserati recorded growth of 267.7% as the new Ghibli and latest Quattroporte models attracted new customers to the brand, helped significantly by the availability of the brand’s first diesel engine. MG’s new MG3 model widened the brand’s appeal, leading to 357.6% more sales.

Top 10 Brands – FY 2014

Make	Yr_14	Yr_13	% change Yr
VOLKSWAGEN	1,612,895	1,552,376	+3.9%
FORD	961,844	922,011	+4.3%
OPEL/VAUXHALL	885,714	824,609	+7.4%
RENAULT	875,476	802,022	+9.2%
PEUGEOT	785,235	740,755	+6.0%
AUDI	724,388	694,165	+4.4%
BMW	673,655	639,798	+5.3%
MERCEDES	658,322	622,806	+5.7%
CITROEN	609,358	602,421	+1.2%
FIAT	585,758	575,518	+1.8%

Top 10 Brands – December 2014

Make	Dec_14	Dec_13	% change Dec	Yr_14	Yr_13	% change Yr
VOLKSWAGEN	126,333	124,156	+1.8%	1,612,895	1,552,376	+3.9%
RENAULT	75,499	69,854	+8.1%	875,476	802,022	+9.2%
FORD	68,396	65,842	+3.9%	961,844	922,011	+4.3%
OPEL/VAUXHALL	68,045	64,764	+5.1%	885,714	824,609	+7.4%
PEUGEOT	59,983	55,298	+8.5%	785,235	740,755	+6.0%
BMW	56,599	50,645	+11.8%	673,655	639,798	+5.3%
MERCEDES	51,856	44,190	+17.3%	658,322	622,806	+5.7%
AUDI	47,516	46,375	+2.5%	724,388	694,165	+4.4%
SKODA	42,852	43,229	-0.9%	578,331	512,229	+12.9%
CITROEN	42,639	44,439	-4.1%	609,358	602,421	+1.2%

The Volkswagen Golf consolidated its lead of the market, held since 2008, and increased full-year sales by 11.1% over 2013. Second place was more closely fought, with the Ford Fiesta taking the position for the full year, ahead of the Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, while the Clio and Polo placed ahead of the Fiesta in December.

Only two of the year’s top 10 models, the Ford Focus and Peugeot 208, recorded lower sales than in 2013, with the 208 slipping out of the monthly top 10 chart in December. Meanwhile Peugeot’s newer and larger 308 model continued its climb up the chart in December, demonstrating the demand for new products and the continued strength of the Peugeot brand. 

The Renault Captur’s appearance in the December top 10 shows how strong the market for small crossovers has become, this being backed up by strong sales throughout the year of the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka and Peugeot 2008.

Seat’s Leon, with the addition to the latest generation of both 3dr hatchback and estate body types to the previous 5dr hatchback, has recorded sales up 57.4% on 2013. Dacia’s Duster SUV increased sales by 46.1%, while the brand’s Logan saloon and estate recorded an increase of 92.2%.

Citroën’s C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso family of MPVs recorded sales up 36.3% on 2013 as the second generation models enjoyed their first full year in the market. Other new-generation products that recorded much stronger sales in 2014 than their predecessors did in 2013 include the Nissan Note (+94.2%), Mazda3 (+89.2%) and BMW X5 (+122.4%).

Top 10 Models – FY 2014

Make & Model	Yr_14	Yr_13	% change Yr
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF	520,958	468,850	+11.1%
FORD FIESTA	308,999	293,398	+5.3%
RENAULT CLIO	300,924	286,453	+5.1%
VOLKSWAGEN POLO	280,378	266,484	+5.2%
OPEL/VAUXHALL CORSA	252,420	239,872	+5.2%
FORD FOCUS	222,834	224,139	-0.6%
PEUGEOT 208	215,312	237,968	-9.5%
SKODA OCTAVIA	206,362	169,075	+22.1%
NISSAN QASHQAI	204,200	201,784	+1.2%
AUDI A3/S3/RS3	200,157	167,779	+19.3%

Top 10 Models – December 2014

Make & Model	Dec_14	Dec_13	% change Dec	Yr_14	Yr_13	% change  Yr
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF	37,265	36,969	+0.8%	520,958	468,850	+11.1%
RENAULT CLIO	25,653	23,842	+7.6%	300,924	286,453	+5.1%
VOLKSWAGEN POLO	21,057	21,489	-2.0%	280,378	266,484	+5.2%
FORD FIESTA	19,547	21,804	-10.4%	308,999	293,398	+5.3%
OPEL/VAUXHALL CORSA	19,526	18,010	+8.4%	252,420	239,872	+5.2%
SKODA OCTAVIA	17,338	15,888	+9.1%	206,362	169,075	+22.1%
FORD FOCUS	15,878	15,845	+0.2%	222,834	224,139	-0.6%
PEUGEOT 308	15,412	8,748	+76.2%	162,127	100,332	+61.6%
RENAULT CAPTUR	15,359	13,497	+13.8%	165,600	86,715	+91.0%
NISSAN QASHQAI	14,966	12,247	+22.2%	204,200	201,784	+1.2%

“The Golf’s continued domination of the European new car market is impressive and it was the best-selling car for the 7^th consecutive year,” commented Brian Walters, Vice President of Data at JATO Dynamics, “but the market is still receptive to new entrants, as the strong performance of small crossovers such as Renault’s Captur has demonstrated. Meanwhile, a full calendar year of growth in the market shows there is continued consumer confidence in Europe. “

Sales by Market

Country	Dec_14	Dec_13	% change Dec	Dec YtD_14	Dec YtD_13	% change YtD
Austria	17,391	20,831	-16.5%	303,318	319,035	-4.9%
Belgium	26,990	25,081	+7.6%	482,939	486,065	-0.6%
Croatia	1,690	1,786	-5.4%	33,409	27,915	+19.7%
Cyprus*	669	535	+25.0%	7,925	6,246	+26.9%
Czech Republic	16,688	14,539	+14.8%	192,314	164,733	+16.7%
Denmark	15,418	14,255	+8.2%	188,929	182,113	+3.7%
Estonia	989	1,002	-1.3%	21,135	19,694	+7.3%
Finland	7,088	5,902	+20.1%	106,179	103,301	+2.8%
France	163,354	175,319	-6.8%	1,795,885	1,790,456	+0.3%
Germany	229,700	215,320	+6.7%	3,036,773	2,952,431	+2.9%
Great Britain	166,198	152,918	+8.7%	2,476,435	2,264,737	+9.3%
Greece	6,383	4,248	+50.3%	70,847	58,662	+20.8%
Hungary	6,093	5,047	+20.7%	67,930	56,472	+20.3%
Ireland	350	212	+65.1%	96,339	74,302	+29.7%
Italy	92,920	90,390	+2.8%	1,369,772	1,311,702	+4.4%
Latvia	1,000	818	+22.2%	12,452	10,636	+17.1%
Lithuania	1,023	929	+10.1%	14,461	12,163	+18.9%
Luxembourg	3,636	2,555	+42.3%	49,793	46,624	+6.8%
Norway	12,668	11,405	+11.1%	145,948	143,921	+1.4%
Poland	29,165	26,435	+10.3%	304,382	290,046	+4.9%
Portugal*	10,512	8,643	+21.6%	141,468	105,990	+33.5%
Romania	5,595	5,569	+0.5%	70,172	57,710	+21.6%
Serbia*	1,440	1,695	-15.0%	18,048	20,437	-11.7%
Slovakia	6,216	5,575	+11.5%	70,569	64,252	+9.8%
Slovenia	3,373	2,599	+29.8%	53,296	50,878	+4.8%
Spain	74,717	61,408	+21.7%	867,979	723,916	+19.9%
Sweden	27,144	26,423	+2.7%	303,948	269,599	+12.7%
Switzerland	32,287	29,493	+9.5%	299,240	305,875	-2.2%
The Netherlands	36,513	39,162	-6.8%	393,512	420,739	-6.5%
Grand Total	997,210	950,094	+5.0%	12,995,397	12,340,650	+5.3%

NOTE: * denotes estimated data included for December 2014