Car sales in Europe decreased by 4% in 2022

Following a sharp decline at the beginning of the year, new car registrations in Europe have rebounded since August, driven by hybrids and electric vehicles.

The Covid-19 period and supply chain disruptions continued in 2022 within the automotive industry. For the third consecutive year, new car registrations decreased in Europe, while China remains strong with its electric car sales.

500,000 fewer car sales in Europe

In total, the 31 countries of the Old Continent recorded 11.29 million vehicles of all powertrains, compared to 11.77 million in 2021, a decrease of -4.1% according to ACEA. This represents a net loss of nearly 500,000 cars that did not reach European cities and roads. However, the year was not uniform, with significant drops in March and April (for example, -21%), but a rebound this summer. August saw a 4% increase, September +9.6%, and there has been double-digit growth since October.

Germany, the number one car market in Europe with 2.65 million cars, progressed in 2022 (+1%). But this is an exception, as other major countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain pulled the results downward.

Top 10 new car sales in Europe in 2022 by country

1. Germany: 2,651,357 (+1%)
3. France: 1,529,035 (-8%)
4. Italy: 1,316,702 (-10%)
5. Spain: 813,396 (-5%)
6. Poland: 419,749 (-6%)
7. Belgium: 366,303 (-4%)
8. Netherlands: 312,129 (-3%)
9. Sweden: 288,087 (-4%)
10. Switzerland: 225,934 (-5%)

Volkswagen remains No. 1 ahead of Stellantis and Renault

The three major European auto groups also showed declining figures in 2022. The leader Volkswagen (with its brands Audi, Skoda, etc.) fell by 5% to 2.3 million car sales. The German manufacturer remains ahead of Stellantis, which declined sharply by 14% to 1.82 million registrations, and the Renault group with fewer than one million cars (-4%).

Top 10 new car sales in Europe in 2022, by group:

1. Volkswagen: 2,321,030 (-5%)
2. Stellantis: 1,823,725 (-14%)
3. Renault: 984,558 (-4%)
4. Hyundai: 849,580 (+3%)
5. Toyota: 662,280 (+8%)
6. BMW: 624,940 (-5%)
7. Mercedes-Benz: 549,023 (0%)
8. Ford: 380,380 (-2%)
9. Geely: 191,445 (-10%)
10. Nissan: 155,012 (-10%)

Also read: Auto Market France: new electric car record in 2022