Top 100 worldwide sales. How are the French classified?

Neck and neck, the Peugeot 208 and Renault Clio are the best-selling French cars in the world. But they are placed very far from the tops according to data from Car Industry Analysis.

If French cars dominate their market, their position in world sales is much less comfortable. According to data from Car Industry Analysis, the first of them was even in 50th place in 2021. Discover the best placed Peugeot, Renault and Citroën.

It is customary to say that no one is a prophet in his country. But it is nevertheless in France that French brands obtain the most success. In Europe, the game is already more complicated, even if the Peugeot 208 or Renault Clio often remain very well placed. On the other hand, on the scale of the planet, the best sales of the tricolor manufacturers are far from familiar with the summits. The ranking established by Car Industry Analysis for the year 2021, based on 106 different markets, is particularly telling. To find a French car there, you have to go back to the 50^e square ! It is the Peugeot 208 which best limits breakage with its 268,000 copies.

A chasm with the top of the ranking

peugeot 208 world sales 2021 — The 208 ranks first among French cars, but only 50th in the world with 262,000 units.

Renault Clio worldwide sales 2021 — The Renault Clio finishes behind its great rival in a modest fifty-second place with its 262,000 units sold in 2021.

Up 13%, the little lioness is ahead of its eternal rival Renault Clio, down 19% and 52^e with its 262,000 copies, as well as its close cousin Opel Corsa, only 83^e with 197,000 copies. While remaining light years away from the champion of all nationalities, the Toyota RAV4, sold at 1.132 million units including its twin Wildlander marketed in China! The absence of the 208 and Clio in the Middle Kingdom partly explains this relative poor performance: outside of Europe, this type of versatile city car is struggling to unleash the crowds. The Citroen C3, 82^e, encounters the same problem. Just like the Dacia Sandero, a Romanian belonging to the Renault group and sold with a Diamond in some markets, which ends 68^e.

Quite discreet French SUVs

peugeot 2008 world sales — Third best-selling French model on the planet, the Peugeot 2008 is only 58th overall with its 244,000 units.

But when French manufacturers tackle other categories, they find it difficult to seduce all over the world despite everything. The small Peugeot 2008 SUV must therefore be content with the 58^e place with 244,000 copies, while the Honda HR-V and its XR-V or Vezel clones rank 6^e thanks to their670,000 registrations. The big brother 3008, offered in China in an extended version under the name of 4008, is for its part only 97^e. As for the competitors of the Losange, they are even further: the Dacia Duster is only 99^e and the Captur is 106^e. For the latter, however, it is specified that it is only the version sold in the European Union, suggesting that the South American Captur or the Russian Kaptur, two twins of the first generation, were not counted. The little Renault fighter could thus have done a little better, even if he would have remained very far from the top of the classification.
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The best-selling French cars in the world (including Dacia)

Overall position	Model	Worldwide sales
50^e	Peugeot 208	268,000 copies
52^e	Renault Clio	262,000 ex.
58^e	Peugeot 2008	244,000 ex.
68^e	Dacia Sandero	221,000 ex.
82^e	Citroen C3	197,000 ex.
97^e	Peugeot 3008	184,000 ex.
99^e	Dacia Duster	182,000 ex.
106^e	Renault Captur (EU)	173,000 ex.