Renault Clio knocks VW Golf from top spot as Europe’s best-selling car

The Renault Clio became Europe’s best-selling car in February, taking the crown from the Volkswagen Golf.

Though new models of both vehicles have been recently introduced, the latest-generation Clio has been available for slightly longer than the Golf. According to the latest European car registration figures, 24,914 of the French hatchback were registered during the month, eclipsing the 24,735 Volkswagen Golf registrations.

However, both figures represented a downturn in year-on-year registrations, with the Clio down four per cent and the Golf 21 per cent.

The Fiat Panda experienced a 10 per cent boost in sales, which pushed it up to fifth place in the rankings.

Outright registrations in Europe experienced a downturn during February too, falling to 1,063,264 units from 1,143,853 during the same month in 2020. It builds on a decline in registrations in January too – with the first two months representing a cumulative fall of 7.3 per cent.

Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics, commented: “The situation is rapidly deteriorating in Europe due to complex regulation, lack of available homologated cars, and increasing pressure on the economy. All of these factors are having a detrimental impact on consumer confidence.”

Registrations of electric vehicles, however, continued to grow. Unit numbers increased from 75,000 in February to 135,500 last month – an increase of over 80 per cent. Munoz added: “So far this year, electrified vehicles have been the only lifeline for manufacturers operating in Europe. This is good news, as the industry’s electrification plans have finally seen a positive response from consumers.”