A recent Dataforce statistic reveals a significant shift in European car-buying trends. For the first time ever, during the first half of the year, SUV accounted for over half of new car sales in Europe. The soaring popularity of these vehicles has been evident for years, and they’ve now reached a market share of 51%, up from 48% during the same period in 2022.
In numbers, this translates to a whopping 3.37 million SUVs delivered in the first six months of 2023, marking a 23% increase compared to the previous year.
Tesla Model Y Tops the SUV Sales Chart
With an impressive 138,152 units sold (a staggering 207% growth), the Tesla Model Y has emerged as the best-selling SUV. Following closely behind are the Volkswagen T-Roc with 104,465 units and the Toyota Yaris Cross with 96,849 units. Other notable mentions in the top 10 include the Volkswagen Tiguan, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Tucson, Peugeot 2008, Kia Sportage, Renault Captur, and Ford Puma.
A deep dive into the data reveals that of the 3.37 million SUVs sold, 1,133,822 were small-sized SUVs, while compact SUVs recorded sales of 999,568 units during the first half of 2023.
In the non-SUV segment, Dacia Sandero continues to be a European favorite, tallying 124,190 units sold in the aforementioned period. Other popular choices include the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208, and Renault Clio, each surpassing the 100,000 units sold mark.
This surge in SUV sales underscores their rising dominance in the European auto landscape and sets the stage for potential shifts in manufacturing and marketing strategies.
