European sales 2015 Q1-Q3 Minicar segment

 

After the first nine months of 2015 the minicar segment is still up by 10%, as it has been all year. It has been helped by a number of newcomers and model changes, which have also slightly eaten into the share of the segment leader Fiat 500, which sees flat sales as it’s been updated ever so slightly. Fiat obviously doesn’t want to mess too much with the model that’s kept it afloat for the last half a decade. The 500’s sibling Fiat Panda does better than the overall segment and closes in on the #1 spot it held until 2012.

The Volkswagen Up! has shaken off the Renault Twingo which had closed in on third place after the first half, but the little VW is still down 16% on last year, while the Twingo is up 22%. The Hyundai i10 has consolidated its fourth place these last three months as it’s being challenged by the all-new Toyota Aygo, which is followed by its clones Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1. That means the Lancia Ypsilon (only 4 Chrysler Ypsilons were sold in Q3) is kicked down into ninth place, just ahead of the car that tries to capture a similar hip and trendy audience: the Opel/Vauxhall Adam. Originally expected to sell about 45.000 units a year, the Adam has already virtually hit that target in just nine months this year and can therefore be called a success story for the troubled GM brands.

The Smart Fortwo has improved from -9% after six months to almost into the black, but has still lost a position to the Kia Picanto. The Fortwo is obviously held back by the success of the four-door and four-seater Forfour, which is only two spots behind, albeit at ¾ of its little brother’s volume. After a couple of very impressive quarters, the Mitsubishi Space Star has fallen flat in Q3, selling just 5.800 units, which would put it in 19^th place of the segment instead of its current 16^th spot. For now, it’s held off the Suzuki Celerio, which can’t seem to match the success of its predecessor Alto. This could be a result of intensified competition in the segment, but also because of the brand’s decision to develop a 100% rational model, with above average room for the passengers and luggage, but a very uninspired and not very frivolous design, as opposed to the more successful models in the segment.

In 19^th place we find the Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva duo, who took a 13^th spot for the quarter, indicating they may be fighting for a top-10 position in 2016, something General Motors has surely been aiming for.

The EV-trio Peugeot iOn, Citroën C-Zero and Mitsubishi i-MiEV have all three improved, despite the availability of better and more advanced competition, most notably the Renault Zoe.

2015 January-September minicar sales Europe

	Minicar segment	Jan-Sep 2015	Jan-Sep 2014	Change
1.	Fiat 500	141.605	139.762	1%
2.	Fiat Panda	129.156	113.292	14%
3.	Volkswagen Up!	81.713	97.325	-16%
4.	Renault Twingo	72.214	58.959	22%
5.	Hyundai i10	67.166	63.708	5%
6.	Toyota Aygo	66.531	49.848	33%
7.	Peugeot 108	54.597	13.499	304%
8.	Citroën C1	50.345	36.778	37%
9.	Lancia/Chrysler Ypsilon	46.226	48.416	-5%
10.	Opel/Vauxhall Adam	43.807	42.079	4%
11.	Kia Picanto	42.603	40.559	5%
12.	Smart Fortwo	41.191	41.707	-1%
13.	Ford Ka	38.642	42.364	-9%
14.	Smart Forfour	30.929	38	new
15.	Skoda Citigo	30.348	31.796	-5%
16.	Mitsubishi Space Star / Mirage	23.186	14.846	56%
17.	Suzuki Celerio	19.176	19	new
18.	Seat Mii	18.579	18.141	2%
19.	Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva	15.548	0	new
20.	Suzuki Alto	5.643	22.451	-75%
21.	Suzuki Splash	2.511	11.154	-77%
22.	Opel/Vauxhall Agila	2.033	10.376	-80%
23.	Peugeot iOn	1.027	409	151%
24.	Citroën C-Zero	671	560	20%
25.	Mitsubishi i-MiEV	586	517	13%
26.	Chevrolet Spark	453	9.767	-95%
21.	Mitsubishi Attrage	312	0	new
22.	Toyota iQ	123	3.247	-96%
23.	Peugeot 107	84	24.169	-100%
24.	Tata Indica	43	254	-83%
	Segment total	1.027.048	936.181	10%

 

Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2014 and monthly sales in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.