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Europe’s best-selling cars of 2012

28 Jan 2013 at 16:28

The UK is the now the second largest market for new cars in Europe, with Britain the only territory to record an increase in new car sales across the continent in 2012.

We’ve seen the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK over the last 12 months, but do the requirements of British motorists and therefore the vehicles they drive differ from our foreign friends? Here are the top 10 best-selling cars in Europe in 2012.

1. Volkswagen Golf
   The car that topped the sales charts in Europe last year was the Volkswagen Golf. It made the UK top 10 too, selling 62,021 units of the total 431,742 shifted in Europe – that’s over 14% in Britain alone.
2. Ford Fiesta
   Britain’s best-selling car – the Ford Fiesta supermini – was Europe’s second most popular car last year, with 306,405 units sold. It proves the attraction is not limited to UK motorists – good looks, decent prices and a strong range of engines make it a popular buy regardless of location.
3. Volkswagen Polo
   It’s unsurprising that vehicles featuring on Britain’s 2012 best-seller list make an appearance in the European top 10 too. Volkswagen sold 287,828 Polo hatchbacks last year, improving on its 8th place in the UK run-down.
4. Vauxhall/Opel Corsa
   Badged Vauxhall in the UK but Opel on the continent, the General Motors owned company’s Corsa hatchback moved 265,297 vehicles in 2012. A decent result for the firm, but next to the recently updated Ford Fiesta and relatively new Polo, the Corsa is starting to show its age.
5. Renault Clio
   The first discrepancy between UK and European lists is signalled by the Renault Clio’s appearance. A loyal home market in France means Renault’s supermini sold 244,280 last year, despite the arrival of a new fourth generation vehicle towards the end of 2012.
6. Ford Focus
   Ford’s popular family sized Focus hatchback recorded strong sales in the UK in 2012 – it’s no different in Europe, with the model shipping 241,862 units. A strong balance of economy, performance, practicality and style make it a winner overseas.
7. Vauxhall/Opel Astra
   The Ford Focus beat the Vauxhall/Opel Astra again. The Astra sold 232,645 last year, despite offering an extra variant over the Focus in the form of the three-door Astra GTC.
8. Nissan Qashqai
   The only SUV to feature in the European top 10 was the Nissan Qashqai. The Japanese crossover sold 207,858 units proving its success in the UK since its introduction in 2007 (it was also the only 4x4 to make the top 10 British sales chart) isn’t limited to our shores.
9. Renault Megane
   No Renault’s featured in the top 10 UK sales successes last year, yet two appear in the European list, with the mid-size Renault Megane hatchback in 9th position. The French manufacturer sold 199,167 units in 2012, possibly due to Renault’s excellent reputation for safety and some frugal diesel engines.
10. Volkswagen Passat
    Rounding out the top 10 is the Volkswagen Passat. Offering classless motoring in an understated but premium package, it’s not hard to see why VW sold 195,617 examples last year.

The UK new car market might have grown by around 11% last year, but the European zone declined by roughly 10% and every car in the above list (apart from the Qashqai, which remained stagnant) recorded contracting sales compared to 2011. In some cases, by as much as 20%.

No premium marques – such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz that featured in the UK top 10 – made an appearance in this list, yet a few Renaults did, possibly proving some subtle differences between UK and European drivers’ new car criteria.

The stalwarts remained, however – the Focus, Fiesta, Corsa, Astra and Golf remain the mainstream purchases across the continent. Just as they do here.