First podium finish at home for the Renault Clio VI.

For the first time since last October, the French new car market is actually up year-on-year in March at a very robust +12.9% to 173,633 units. Keep in mind however that March 2025 was off -14.5% on the year prior. Due to a poor start of 2026, the Q1 volume is still in negative at -2.1% to 401,555. Encouragingly, private sales soar 22% to 80,183 and 46.2% share vs. 42.7% in March 2025. Long term leases among private buyers are up 42% to 28% share and short term rentals are up 19%. Meanwhile fleets are struggling at -3% to 39,172 units and 22.6% share vs. 26.3% a year ago, but BEV sales within fleets surge 77% year-on-year to reach 41% share. In the market as a whole, BEVs are up 69% to 49,406 units and 28.5% share vs. just 19% a year ago and year-to-date volumes are up 50.4% to 112,086 and 27.9% share vs. 18.2% over the same period in 2025.

The Tesla Model Y is just 15 units off a historical pole position.

In the brands ranking, Renault (+13.6%) manages to beat the market to reach 19.2% share, its highest since June 2022 (21.3%). In contrast Peugeot (-11%) is in dire straits and falls to a paltry 12.1% share vs. 14.1% so far this year. Dacia (+12%) returns to #3 after a couple of though months and climbs back up to #4 year-to-date. Citroen (+23.2%) is in excellent shape thanks to a renewed lineup and distances Volkswagen (+4.2%) and Toyota (-0.6%), both weak. Tesla (+203.1%) delivers an outstanding result, soaring to #7 with 9,569 sales and 5.5% share. This is the carmaker’s best ranking since December 2023 (#6), 2nd highest volume for just 3 units and highest share since November 2023 (6.1%). Fiat (+53.4%), BMW (+37%), Kia (+27.4%) and Audi (+20.3%) shine below. In the BEV brands ranking, Renault dominates with 9,613 sales (+46%) ahead of Tesla and Peugeot at 4,003 (+30%).

The Renault Twingo IV breaks into the Top 50 for the first time.

We have a completely reshuffled models charts, with the Top 3 fitting within less than 50 sales. The Dacia Sandero (+12.4%) is the overall best-seller with 4.1% share, the nameplate’s first monthly win since July 2024. Just 15 units below is the Tesla Model Y (+203%), reaching #2 with over 7,000 sales and 4% share. These are all records, beating its previous best of #4 (March 2023 and September 2024), 6,456 sales (March 2023) and 3.5% share (March 2023 and September 2025). Note that Tesla offered an additional 3,000€ cash for clunkers for the Model Y from January 9 to March 31. For its first real month of sales, the Renault Clio VI is up 8 spots on February to crack the podium for the first time at #3. The Peugeot 2008 (+4.7%) edges up at #4 while the Peugeot 208 (-26.8%) is in complete freefall at #5 but still tops the YTD charts. Other notable results include the Citroen C3 Aircross at #9, the Renault 5 down to #11, Tesla Model 3 up to #19 and the Renault Twingo IV breaking into the Top 50 at #47

Previous month: France February 2026: Citroen C3 best-seller, Renault Clio VI back outside Top 10

One year ago: France March 2025: Renault Symbioz cracks Top 10, Tesla off -36.8%

Full March 2026 Top 25 brands and Top 75 models below.

France March 2026 – brands:

PosBrandMar-26%/25Feb2026%/25PosFY251Renault   33,38619.2%+ 13.6%175,20518.7%+ 5.1%112Peugeot  21,07912.1%– 11.0%256,53214.1%– 13.5%223Dacia  14,8848.6%+ 12.0%429,6387.4%– 17.8%434Citroen  13,3157.7%+ 23.2%334,4888.6%+ 9.1%345Volkswagen10,5946.1%+ 4.3%525,5786.4%– 8.0%656Toyota9,6665.6%– 0.6%626,6376.6%– 10.8%567Tesla9,5695.5%+ 203.1%913,9453.5%+ 108.4%7188BMW  6,6703.8%+ 37.0%713,3163.3%– 8.0%879Audi  5,1953.0%+ 20.3%1211,0202.7%– 0.3%10910Skoda  4,7852.8%+ 1.6%811,6642.9%+ 4.6%9811Mercedes  3,9952.3%+ 10.6%167,8352.0%+ 6.6%151112Ford  3,7582.2%+ 10.8%148,3392.1%– 11.8%131213Opel  3,5502.0%+ 7.7%119,8482.5%+ 19.1%111514Kia  3,2541.9%+ 27.4%157,4641.9%– 2.7%161315Fiat  3,2501.9%+ 53.4%137,9142.0%+ 45.4%142016Hyundai3,1731.8%– 1.7%108,8752.2%– 13.6%121017MG (est)2,8001.6%– 1.0%176,0651.5%– 4.0%171418Nissan  2,5701.5%+ 3.4%195,5251.4%– 23.0%191619Mini2,4581.4%+ 28.1%185,8561.5%+ 5.7%181720Suzuki2,1251.2%+ 2.1%214,8921.2%– 12.5%202121Cupra1,9101.1%– 5.7%204,4161.1%– 10.4%211922DS1,3760.8%– 1.8%233,2140.8%– 12.0%222323Volvo1,1700.7%– 3.1%262,5340.6%+ 6.1%262524BYD (est)1,1000.6%+ 66.9%222,9470.7%+ 81.1%232425Jeep1,0680.6%+ 4.5%242,6520.7%– 1.5%2426

France March 2026 – models:

PosModelMar-26%/25Feb2026%/25PosFY251Dacia Sandero7,0384.1%+ 12.4%513,6333.4%– 22.5%432Tesla Model Y7,0234.0%+ 203.0%710,6702.7%+ 127.2%7153Renault Clio VI6,9904.0%new1112,3123.1%new61414Peugeot 20086,2593.6%+ 4.7%314,4313.6%– 9.5%355Peugeot 2086,1003.5%– 26.8%217,3654.3%– 18.0%126Citroen C35,0832.9%+ 9.7%114,9923.7%– 18.4%247Renault Clio V4,2522.4%– 55.3%412,5333.1%– 46.8%518Renault Captur4,0902.4%– 13.4%109,3592.3%– 16.5%989Citroen C3 Aircross II3,7732.2%+ 647.1%148,3542.1%+ 1018.3%111810Renault Symbioz3,5302.0%– 1.2%127,5321.9%– 5.0%151211Renault 53,4932.0%+ 4.6%910,0842.5%+ 9.8%8712Dacia Duster III3,4862.0%– 6.9%137,6501.9%– 31.1%14913Peugeot 30083,1651.8%– 10.4%69,2362.3%– 23.6%10614Toyota Yaris Cross2,9881.7%– 5.1%157,7331.9%– 21.8%131115Renault Scenic V2,8241.6%+ 26.9%186,8961.7%+ 56.9%172216Peugeot 3082,8211.6%– 15.5%88,1352.0%– 8.2%121317Citroen C5 Aircross II2,6301.5%new176,2141.5%new189918Toyota Yaris2,6291.5%– 3.7%167,4671.9%– 4.5%161019Tesla Model 32,5251.5%+ 208.3%523,2250.8%+ 65.6%307320Renault Austral2,3691.4%+ 5.4%254,7381.2%– 9.7%221621Dacia Bigster1,8921.1%+ 83.5%264,3061.1%+ 284.1%232122VW Polo1,7881.0%– 18.9%214,8841.2%– 21.9%211423VW T-Roc II1,7431.0%new243,9571.0%new2515924Peugeot 5008 III1,7371.0%+ 12.1%195,0551.3%+ 10.7%201725Toyota Aygo X1,6250.9%+ 72.5%353,4410.9%+ 14.9%273926Opel Corsa1,6170.9%– 0.4%234,1661.0%– 19.3%242627Toyota C-HR II1,5520.9%+ 9.3%205,2061.3%+ 32.6%192928BMW X11,4810.9%+ 56.4%432,6650.7%– 5.5%384029Nissan Qashqai1,4810.9%+ 25.4%343,0760.8%– 5.8%323030Renault 41,4770.9%+ 24516.7%443,1190.8%+ 9646.9%316431Ford Puma1,4650.8%+ 18.2%273,8661.0%– 1.0%261932VW ID.41,4100.8%+ 195.6%293,3000.8%+ 157.6%297233Renault Espace1,3530.8%+ 70.6%762,0890.5%+ 9.9%555134Dacia Jogger1,3260.8%– 19.2%632,3300.6%– 43.7%472835Mini Hatch1,3090.8%+ 40.5%402,9140.7%+ 3.4%343536Suzuki Swift1,2500.7%– 7.6%602,7500.7%– 25.3%363637MG ZS1,1830.7%– 9.9%362,4360.6%– 24.0%423438BMW Série 11,1790.7%+ 5.5%412,2600.6%– 39.8%493339Ford Explorer1,1610.7%+ 420.6%821,8030.4%+ 286.1%6112640Skoda Fabia1,1470.7%– 20.0%482,4030.6%– 14.6%454141Dacia Spring1,1420.7%+ 88.4%1111,7190.4%– 18.6%656242VW Tiguan III1,1170.6%– 11.1%332,6890.7%– 31.3%372443Hyundai Kona1,1130.6%+ 4.8%223,3210.8%+ 2.3%283744VW T-Cross1,1050.6%– 20.5%422,3420.6%– 26.3%463145Skoda Elroq1,0960.6%+ 254.7%312,9110.7%+ 440.1%355846Renault Twingo IV1,0590.6%new1391,1820.3%new8234447Audi A31,0520.6%+ 55.9%472,2210.6%+ 39.7%504548Fiat Grande Panda1,0410.6%new652,1350.5%new538349Citroen C41,0110.6%– 69.1%283,0610.8%– 50.7%332550BMW iX11,0070.6%+ 82.4%452,3260.6%+ 69.9%484751Audi Q41,0060.6%+ 48.6%721,8870.5%+ 6.5%586852Hyundai Tucson1,0030.6%– 4.0%372,4100.6%– 19.9%442353VW ID.39830.6%+ 11.8%392,4300.6%+ 15.8%435554Mercedes GLA9770.6%+ 28.9%611,7930.4%+ 3.5%624355Fiat 6009680.6%+ 11.6%302,5570.6%– 5.9%405956Fiat 5009130.5%+ 54.5%492,1070.5%+ 21.7%548257Renault Rafale8940.5%– 16.0%661,6750.4%– 26.0%705458VW Golf8920.5%– 3.8%382,5220.6%– 17.0%413259Mini Countryman8630.5%+ 54.1%462,2020.5%+ 35.2%516160Kia Sportage8390.5%+ 17.8%591,7180.4%– 12.9%664661Ford Kuga8050.5%– 28.9%561,8300.5%– 35.1%603862Mercedes CLA7810.4%+ 136.7%731,5950.4%+ 177.9%7211263Audi Q37760.4%+ 70.5%511,9860.5%+ 67.2%578064Renault Megane E-Tech7560.4%– 23.6%322,6360.7%+ 17.2%395065MG 37480.4%– 8.1%571,7120.4%– 4.8%674266Nissan Juke7480.4%– 13.0%691,6010.4%– 33.6%714467Skoda Kamiq7190.4%– 13.3%581,7120.4%– 7.3%685668Audi A17120.4%– 32.5%681,7590.4%– 35.5%635269Skoda Octavia 7000.4%+ 3.2%551,8730.5%– 10.4%594870Opel Frontera6650.4%+ 375.0%532,0040.5%+ 1137.0%568471Peugeot 4086430.4%+ 6.8%801,3520.3%– 6.9%778772Opel Mokka6380.4%– 36.2%502,1400.5%+ 18.0%526673MG EHS6350.4%+ 56.8%671,3980.3%+ 101.4%757674Kia Niro6010.3%+ 3.4%751,3580.3%– 5.8%766575VW Taigo5840.3%– 24.3%1011,0560.3%– 40.5%8767

Source: PFA