Sales of small MPVs in Europe accelerate their decline in Q2 of 2017. After a 14% loss in 2016, a 10% decline in Q1, the segment loses 23% in the second quarter, bringing the first half figure to 146.494 sales, down 17% on last year. Surprisingly, one nameplate manages to improve its volume in Q2 and does so with double digits. The Ford B-Max, which has seen its sales decline every year since 2013, suddenly gains 15% in the second quarter, as dealers are getting rid of the remaining stock models before production is scheduled to end next September. This allows the B-Max not only to become the only model in the first half to increase its sales, but also to overtake the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva for 2nd place. The Meriva has been replaced by the crossover Opel/Vauxhall Crossland X and will also be phased out soon. As a result, segment leader Fiat 500L is likely to increase its share of this shrinking segment in the second half of the year, even though it too sees its demand fall, at a similar pace as the rest of the segment: -22% in Q2 and -18% in the half. The 500L now holds 27,6% of the segment. Three quarters of its sales come from its home market Italy, but at least it manages to be the best selling car overall in one European country: Serbia, where it is produced in the former Zastava (Yugo) factory.
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Like the Meriva, the Citroën C3 Picasso will be phased out this year as it is being replaced by the Citroën C3 Aircross, which shares its platform with the Crossland X. The Nissan Note has already been pulled from the European market, and sold less than 1.500 units in Q2. The facelifted version won’t be sold in this continent, nor will the hybrid e-Power version which has been very well-received in Japan, as buyers are shifting away from small MPVs towards crossovers. 
The same will happen with the two South-Korean models, as the Hyundai ix20 will be replaced by the controversially styled Kona and the Kia Venga will make room for the Stonic. Both these crossovers are expected to sell at least twice as much as their MPV predecessors.
We welcome one new model to the segment this year: the all-electric Opel Ampera-e, the European version of the Chevrolet Bolt EV. It will be interesting to see how sales of this model develop, because if it becomes a real best seller in its home market US, I can hardly imagine GM will be happy to free up too much production capacity to just “give” their most important car in recent years to PSA which now owns Opel. For now, capacity remains limited and the waiting lines for interested buyers are long.
| Small MPV segment | 2017-H1 | 2016-H1 | Change | Share | |
| 1 | Fiat 500L | 40.455 | 49.201 | -18% | 27,6% |
| 2 | Ford B-Max | 23.980 | 23.213 | 3% | 16,4% |
| 3 | Opel/Vauxhall Meriva | 22.355 | 27.434 | -19% | 15,3% |
| 4 | Citroën C3 Picasso | 17.709 | 22.333 | -21% | 12,1% |
| 5 | Hyundai ix20 | 16.395 | 18.111 | -9% | 11,2% |
| 6 | Kia Venga | 13.211 | 14.410 | -8% | 9,0% |
| 7 | Nissan Note | 11.719 | 20.367 | -42% | 8,0% |
| 8 | Opel Ampera-e | 634 | 0 | New | 0,2% |
| 9 | Toyota Verso-S | 34 | 467 | -93% | 0% |
| 10 | Lancia Musa | 2 | 4 | -50% | 0% |
| Segment total | 146.494 | 175.623 | -17% |
Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2016 and monthly sales from 2012 to 2016, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site.
Car sales statistics are from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.