For the second consecutive year, the most produced car in France is not tricolor. She is Japanese. This is the 4th generation Toyota Yaris. With 156,464 units assembled on the clock, it is ahead of the Peugeot 3008 and the Renault Kangoo.
France has no less than 30 industrial sites dedicated to the automotive industry, including 12 car production plants and 4 specializing in light commercial vehicles (LCVs). What are the most produced models in our territory? Based on the production volumes declared by the manufacturers, the Inovev firm has established a ranking. In total, 1.3 million models (passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles) were produced in France in 2021 (+1.3%).
The Yaris still n°1
At the top of the charts, we find the Toyota Yaris. It’s the 2and consecutive year that the Japanese city car, elected “European car of the year” in March 2021, occupies this place. The Onnaing site, near Valenciennes, manufactured 156,464 vehicles, down 17%. The factory had to deal with the covid-19 epidemic, as in 2020, but also with the semiconductor crisis which penalized its activity for several weeks. In mid-July, the channels welcomed a new model, the Yaris Cross, who entered the rankings at the 13thand position. In total, the Japanese manufacturer’s site manufactured 204,255 vehicles in 2021.
The Peugeot 3008 in second place
The Peugeot 3008, leader in 2018 and 2019, climbs to the second step of the podium. The Sochaux factory, in the Doubs, assembled 147,547 copies (– 1%). The compact SUV ” at lost a lot of influence mainly due to the success of the Peugeot 2008 which has taken many customers », Details Inovev. The city SUV could have taken the place of “ n°1 of the most produced vehicles in France “, if Stellantis had no choice but to relocate its assembly to Spain since, according to the firm of experts, more than 180,000 units of the model have been sold in Europe in 2021. Still at Peugeot, note the 10and place of the 308 with 53,814 units produced (–44%). The making of the 2and generation of the compact ended in Sochaux on September 10, 2021. As for the 3and milling, its assembly was postponed and finally only started in October in Mulhouse (68).
A utility on the podium
The podium is completed by: the Kangoo. The Renault site in Maubeuge (59) assembled 90,241 units of the model in 2021 (+1%). The manufacturer has invested 450 million euros in this plant to accommodate the 3and generation of the XFK project (code name of the Kangoo) and its utility derivatives: Mercedes T-Class/Citan and Nissan Townstar. In 2022, the site will also be responsible for producing electric variants and in 2023 for assembling the Grand Kangoo.
Finally, the chocolate medal goes to the Opel Mokka. Now produced at the Stellantis factory in Poissy (78), the cousin of the DS3 Crossback takes the 4and position with 82,277 units produced while the French is far from this figure with 16,507 units.
Top 15 of the most produced cars in France (2021)
| Position | Make / model | Site | Units produced in 2021 |
Evolution 2020 – 2021 |
| 1 | Toyota Yaris | Onnaing (59) | 156,464 | – 17% |
| 2 | Peugeot 3008 | Sochaux (25) | 147,547 | – 1% |
| 3 | Renault Kangoo | Maubeuge (59) | 90 241 | + 1% |
| 4 | Vauxhall Mokka | Poissy (78) | 82,277 | – |
| 5 | Renault Zoe | Flins (78) | 73,738 | – 20% |
| 6 | Renault Traffic | Sandouville (76) | 64,732 | – 6% |
| 7 | Renault Master | Batilly (54) | 61,274 | – 16% |
| 8 | Peugeot Expert | Hordain (59) | 59 129 | + 10% |
| 9 | Peugeot 5008 | Reindeer (35) | 58,533 | + 4% |
| 10 | Peugeot 308 | Sochaux (25) / Mulhouse (68) |
53,814 | – 44% |
| 11 | Citroen Dispatch | Hordain (59) | 52,663 | + 14% |
| 12 | Citroen C5 Aircross | Reindeer (35) | 52,656 | – 30 % |
| 13 | Toyota Yaris Cross | Onnaing (59) | 47,791 | – |
| 14 | Toyota Proace | Hordain (59) | 39 188 | + 144% |
| 15 | Nissan Micra | Flins (78) | 38,507 | – 7% |
