The subcompact car segment grows slower than the overall European car market at +6%, as only two models have been renewed last year. Still, 2,646,842 sales mean it’s still the biggest segment in Europe with more than 300,000 units advantage over the compact car segment. The Ford Fiesta leads for the 4th straight year and the 6th time in the last 7 years. The Renault Clio manages to hold on to its #2 spot above the Volkswagen Polo, despite the latter gaining 8% and closing in quickly. All three have sold over 300,000 units last year. The Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Toyota Yaris follow in the same order as the year before to keep the entire top-6 ranking stable, but the renewed Skoda Fabia adds almost as much volume as the three competitors ahead of it and moves past the Dacia Sandero and Citroën C3 to take 7th place.
The Hyundai i20 breaks its volume record again, but as I’ve said before the new generation still disappoints with sales up only 9% on the old model. Perhaps the introduction of more efficient turbocharged engines in 2016 will give the i20 a boost, literally and figuratively. At least the i20 managed to outsell the very “mature” Fiat Punto, which breaks its own record for the lowest annual volume as Fiat is taking its time working on a replacement.
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